Data Analysis Plans: A Blueprint for Success Using SAS

Data Analysis Plans: A Blueprint for Success Using SAS

by Kathleen Jablonski, Mark Guagliardo
Released August 2016
Publisher(s): SAS Institute
ISBN: 9781629604978

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Book description


Data Analysis Plans: A Blueprint for Success Using SAS gets you started on building an effective data analysis plan with a solid foundation for planning and managing your analytics projects. Data analysis plans are critical to the success of analytics projects and can improve the workflow of your project when implemented effectively. This book provides step-by-step instructions on writing, implementing, and updating your data analysis plan. It emphasizes the concept of an analysis plan as a working document that you update throughout the life of a project.

This book will help you manage the following tasks:

control client expectations

limit and refine the scope of the analysis

enable clear communication and understanding among team members

organize and develop your final report

SAS users of any level of experience will benefit from this book, but beginners will find it extremely useful as they build foundational knowledge for performing data analysis and hypotheses testing. Subject areas include medical research, public health research, social studies, educational testing and evaluation, and environmental studies.

Table of contents

  1. Title Page
  2. Copyright
  3. About This Book
  4. About the Author
  5. Acknowledgments
  6. Chapter 1: Preface
    1. Preface
  7. Chapter 2: Introduction
    1. Data Analysis Plans
  8. Chapter 3: Before the Plan: Develop an Analysis Policy
    1. Summary
    2. The Analysis Policy
    3. Analysis Policy Components
    4. Analysis Policies for Large Projects
    5. Example Project Analysis Policy
    6. References
  9. Chapter 4: Outline of a Plan
    1. Summary
    2. Outline of a Typical Plan
  10. Chapter 5: The Plan Introduction
    1. Summary
    2. Objectives, Hypotheses or Questions, and Aims
    3. Identify the Project Team
    4. Identify the Target Audience
  11. Chapter 6: Hypotheses, Questions, and Study Design
    1. Summary
    2. Conceptualizing the Problem
    3. Hypotheses
    4. Research Questions
    5. Study
    6. Identifying Confounders
    7. Communicating with the Study Team
  12. Chapter 7: Data Description
    1. Summary
    2. Data Sources
    3. Data Definitions
    4. Data Summary
    5. Reviewing the Data with the Study Team
  13. Chapter 8: Data Exploration
    1. Summary
    2. Descriptive Statistics for Major Variables
    3. Exploring Outliers and Problematic Data Distributions
    4. Distribution Problems
    5. Determining the Source of Variability
    6. Producing Baseline Tables
    7. Communicating with the Project Team
  14. Chapter 9: Analysis
    1. Summary
    2. General Approach
    3. Analysis of Questions/Hypotheses
    4. References
  15. Chapter 10: Potential Conclusions, Study Weaknesses, and a Timeline
    1. Summary
    2. Potential Conclusions
    3. Limitations and Weaknesses
    4. Timeline
  16. Chapter 11: Revising, Producing and Sharing the Plan
    1. Summary
    2. Communicating and Revising the Plan
    3. Turning the Plan into a Report
    4. Developing Tabular Presentations
    5. Cross-References
    6. Unplanned Analysis
    7. Closing Remarks
  17. Chapter 12: Example Analysis Plan: The TIAD Study
    1. Summary
    2. Introduction
    3. Questions
    4. Data Description
    5. Initial Data Tables and Variable Distributions
    6. General Approach
    7. Analysis of Hypotheses
  18. Index
  19. Additional Resources

Product information

  • Title: Data Analysis Plans: A Blueprint for Success Using SAS
  • Author(s): Kathleen Jablonski, Mark Guagliardo
  • Release date: August 2016
  • Publisher(s): SAS Institute
  • ISBN: 9781629604978