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I’ve recently
collected data that I would now like to present. What are some steps that
I should consider first?
Now that you have collected your data, you will need to create a data
dissemination plan.There are eight questions you should address before
you present your data.
1. What is the nature of the data that you have collected?
Examples of data related to health promotion and prevention include: health
behavior data (e.g., student health behavior survey data); crime data
(e.g., number of arrests); personal perception data (e.g., residents’
perception of community safety); program evaluation data (e.g., pretest/posttest
evaluation results); and marketing data (e.g., potential customer preference).
An examination of the nature of the data should also extend to looking
at specific aspects of the data, such as: (1) What do the data say about
the current nature of the issue? (2) Are there any differences among sub-populations
(e.g., differences by gender or grade)? (3) How have the data changed
over time (trends)? and (4) How do the data compare to similar data from
other populations (e.g., comparisons to similar state or national surveys)?
2. Why do you want to present these data?
This is probably the most important question to ask because it defines
the purpose of your work. Keep in mind that there may be multiple
answers to this question, but it is imperative for you to decide upon
a primary purpose for presenting it.
Some examples of "why" you might want to share your data are:
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To justify "why we spent all that money on data collection?"
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To comply with a mandate regarding the use of public funds for data
collection
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To show whether a program has been effective
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To increase awareness about issues raised by the data
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To plan interventions
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To mobilize resources (people, money)
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To influence policy
3. To whom are you presenting the data?
Inherently linked to the issue of why to present your data is "to
whom" you should present it or, simply put, who is your audience?
Determining your audience will guide the way that you choose to show your
data. Think about the health reporter on your local news station. Their
job is to take detailed medical information from professional research
journals and present it in a way that makes sense to the general audience.
It would not be effective for them to merely read directly from the pages
of the latest journal.
Some examples of the types of audiences that you may want to consider
include—a professional and/or lay audience, youth and/or adults,
clients and/or funders, or the entire community.
4. How are you going to present the data?
The most common means of presenting data is probably in a detailed, written
report. But a written report may not be the most effective and
useful way of presenting your data, especially if you have limited
funds. Written reports often take a long time, cost a fair amount of money,
and are difficult to disseminate. Their use is generally confined to in-depth
reading; therefore, their audience is limited to people who have the time
and inclination to sit down and read the information.
5. Possible methods to consider for sharing data include: written
reports (e.g., full report, executive summary); oral presentations (e.g.,
community forum); media coverage (e.g., newspaper, radio, television,
local cable access); web-based dissemination (e.g., web page posting).
A useful approach that spans many of these methods is creating a set of
detailed charts that transforms the data into a chart-based format. These
charts can be used in written, oral, and web-based presentations to reach
multiple audiences, in multiple settings, with the opportunity for varied
emphasis. Charts are quite often the most effective means of describing
and summarizing statistical information. How much data are you
going to present?
When wondering how much of your data you are going to present,
there are some dos and don’ts to consider—
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Don’t feel that you have to present everything —
Do always relate what you are presenting to why you
are sharing the data.
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Don’t overwhelm the audience with too much data —Do
respect the audience, taking into consideration their level of comfort
with the data.
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Don’t get caught up in too many small details—Do
focus on the big picture.
6. Who will present the data?
Issues concerning who will present the data are similar whether
you are writing a standard report or orally sharing your findings. You
want the presentation of your data to be meaningful, accurate, and relevant.
Here are some things that you should consider when selecting someone to
report your data:
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Choose an experienced writer/presenter.
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Choose an individual(s) familiar with both the data and any special
circumstances surrounding its collection or dissemination.
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Try, if possible, to use someone who has experience in research and
can field any methodological questions. This can add credibility to
the findings.
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Especially in an oral presentation, think about using multiple presenters.
7. Where are you going to present the data?
An often-ignored aspect of data presentations is location, or where
are you going to share the information? The definition of "location"
actually varies depending on the way in which you are reporting your data.
If you are preparing a written report, location may refer to where and
how you will actually distribute the report. Or it may, for example, refer
to which media outlets you will send your press release. If you are doing
a public presentation, it more specifically refers to the physical location
of the event.
Consider a location that serves the overall purpose of why you
are sharing the data; a neutral location; a location that is accessible
to your intended audience.
8. When are you going to present the data?
Another often-overlooked aspect of a data presentation is when
to do so. This applies both to an appropriate day and time. Consider the
following before you decide when to present your data:
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Date—Make it convenient for your intended audience. Link it
to related events or themes. Try not to conflict with other major
events.
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Time—Make it convenient for your intended audience. Schedule
enough time to accomplish everything that you intend to do.
Summary
Keep a few guiding principles in mind:
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Define your purpose and let it guide your work.
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Get help when you need it.
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Emphasize substance over style.
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Use simple graphics supplemented by text and tables.
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Respect your audience.
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Move data to action!
This FAQ is derived from the Northeast CAPT's training manual What Now?
Effective and Useful Data Presentation http://www.captus.samhsa.gov/northeast/services/f2ftraining/effectivedata1.cfm
by Michele Cummins.
This FAQ was compiled by Yvette Camacho.
Please contact the Northeast CAPT at capt@edc.org for more information.
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