Engaging Colleagues - Assignment Example

Describe several challenges you see to engaging your colleagues or in critiquing the data analysis section of a report.  What strategies could you use to help them understand the importance of nurses reading research articles including the data analysis and results sections? When responding to this, ponder about the following:What prevents you or your colleagues, or your students from reading and understanding the data analysis part of a research report? The most obvious factor that prevents me from diving right into the data analysis part are the numbers and percentages.

I’m not very good with mathematics and the moment I see numbers my mind switches into resistive mode. When I start reading a report, the theoretical portion is very intriguing but the moment I reach data analysis part, my mind simply pushes me to skip it and just read the words (conclusions explained in easy terminology).The problem is not about one or two people or the ones who simply don’t have that statistical brilliance, it is in the process of data analysis itself. Most basic techniques of regression and analysis of variance are not completely understood or used appropriately (Judd, 1995).

I can assume that I’m not alone facing this problem, my colleagues must also face this and I’m guessing like me, many opted statistics to get over the math-phobia. One strategy would be if a teacher could help explain the most common tactics that can used as tools to make sense of the data analysis quickly. The quicker we make sense of the data analysis the better. The graphs of data analysis should be able to communicate the information to the reader in ‘one glance’ (www.ed.gov.nl.ca)Who has the time, the patience, and the motivation to read complex research reports?

 It is obvious that the majority finds complex reports very boring and they require stamina and perseverance in comprehending reports. The manners of presenting the data count a lot and findings can be significantly enhanced in the presentation on the data (www.ori.dhhs.gov).Can we afford to say that we cannot be bothered with all that stuff? We can simply never ever say that ‘we cannot be bothered with all that stuff’, that is like eyeing away from an approaching enemy army. There is no wisdom in avoiding knowledge.

Would you have read all the articles that you read in this course, if you did not have (metaphorically speaking) a gun held to your head? Whether there is a gun to my head or not, there are certainly some of the reports that I do find interesting. Any report on patient psychology triggers curiosity and I love to comprehend and learn new things in the report, having said that, I would never read complex reports out of my own desire. There is simply no point if students cannot simply understand what the report wants to tell them.

StrategyMost of us are wrongfully lead to believe that numbers are unquestionably correct (Helberg, 1995), which is one of the reasons why people hesitate in questioning them. There should be little bit of coaching on how to speedily analyze the data. For instance, there can be a time limit given to the students and colleagues to practice with and special instructions, so that when they will read complex reports they will only look for things that are absolutely necessary, otherwise known as clearing the word noise and getting to the point.

SourcesData analysis. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://ori.dhhs.gov/education/products/n_illinois_u/datamanagement/datopic.htmlData analysis. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.ed.gov.nl.ca/edu/k12/curriculum/guides/mathematics/primary/Unit_3_Data_Analysis.pdfHelberg, C (1995). Pitfalls of data analysis. Retrieved from http://my.execpc.com/~helberg/pitfalls/Judd, C. (1995). Data analysis: Continuing issues in the everyday analysis of psychological data. Retrieved from http://gabarrot.psychologie-sociale.

org/documents/JMCC1995.pdf