Located in 519 Baldy Hall, the Quantitative and Qualitative Data Analysis Lab (QQDAL) offers free assistance with issues related to quantitative and qualitative research design, data analysis, measurement/classification and help with course assignments and research projects.
The following software packages are available in the lab: Atlas.ti, HLM, HyperResearch, LISREL, MPlus, nVivo, R, SAS, SPSS, Stata and Winsteps. Graduate assistants are available for consultation on the use of these packages.
Students, faculty and staff within the Graduate School of Education seeking help with course assignments and research projects are encouraged to make use of the lab.
No appointment is necessary during walk-in hours. Consultations are available during lab hours in person or via Zoom. Graduate lab assistants may also be available by appointment. Contact the relevant graduate assistant to schedule a time to meet.
| DAY | QUANTITATIVE LAB Preston Martin ✉️ | QUALITATIVE LAB Sara Kieffer ✉️ |
|---|---|---|
| Monday | · | 1 – 3 p.m. |
| Tuesday | · | 12 – 4 p.m. |
| Wednesday | 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. | 1 – 5 p.m. |
| Thursday | 9 – 11 a.m. | · |
QQDAL is closed on all days that UB classes are not in session.
| QQDAL Office Phone | Lab Directors | Lab Assistants |
|---|---|---|
716-645-4052
| Seong Won Han seongwon@buffalo.edu Jinting Wu jintingw@buffalo.edu | Quantitative: Preston Martin pmartin6@buffalo.edu Qualitative: Sara Kieffer sarakief@buffalo.edu |
Consultations are available during lab hours, either on campus or virtually. Contact the relevant graduate assistant to schedule a time to meet.
We often cover these topics:
If you are seeking advice on writing a dissertation or master's thesis, please coordinate your work in the lab with your supervising faculty.
Do you have questions about quantitative research and data analysis? Look below for a collection of useful resources for University at Buffalo students.
Statistical Formulas
Existing Surveys/Instruments
Sample Size Calculation and Power Analysis
Types of Analysis
Other Topics
Data Analysis/Management Software
Data Analysis Software Tutorials
APA (American Psychological Association) Style Guide:
Managing References:
Consultations are available during lab hours, either on campus or virtually. Contact the relevant graduate assistant to schedule a time to meet.
We often cover these topics:
As per AERA (American Educational Research Association) standards, the statement of the problem must “provide a clear statement of the purpose and scope of the study” (Standards for Reporting on Empirical Social Science Research in AERA Publications, Educational Researcher, 2006, p. 34), make clear the theoretical underpinnings of the study, include a review of relevant scholarly literature, and include a rationale for the population or populations of interest.
The design of the study follows logically from the description of the research problem. Even within the broad category “qualitative investigation,” purposes and designs differ markedly, in accordance with the research problem. Whatever the design, it must be clearly and logically articulated from beginning to end.
Data are collected in accordance with the design of the study. Investigators need to make clear the research process so that later investigators can engage follow-up studies and multi-site investigations. Data collection techniques include: participant observation, observational inventories, structured or semi-structured interviews, focus group interviews, collection of artifacts, among others. In all cases, the ways in which data were collected must be carefully described, “including how and when they were gathered, by whom, and for what purpose” (Educational Researcher, 2006, p. 35).
Classification schemata should be clearly described, including how they were arrived at and how they were used to code data. When reporting out a classificatory scheme, concrete examples of data that support codes should be provided.
The purpose of analysis is to come to conclusions, on the basis of evidence, about the data at hand. All analytic techniques should be explained in notable detail and evidence for each claim should be described. Investigators should pay attention to data that do not support otherwise warranted claims — in other words, investigators should pay attention to disconfirming evidence and report these data out, as relevant.
The lab assistant can provide guidance on using qualitative data analysis software packages, for example, HyperRESEARCH and ATLAS.ti, to analyze data. With data analysis software, a researcher can code and run analyses on large amounts of data, aiding in the analysis, interpretation and writing up of the findings.
Do you have questions about qualitative research and data analysis? Look below for a collection of useful resources for University at Buffalo students.
Data Analysis/Management Software
ATLAS.ti, HyperRESEARCH, and NVivo are installed in the QQDAL. Other analysis/management packages include: Dedoose (a cloud-based service, available at www.dedoose.com); MAXQDA.
Below is the student license cost for each software package. These prices are current as of July 2019. Please click on the software title for the most recent student license prices.
Data Analysis Software Tutorials
Resources for Qualitative Research Methods
Resources for Transcription
Resources for Coding and Analysis
Resources for Archived Qualitative Data
APA (American Psychological Association) Style Guide:
Managing References:
If you are seeking advice on writing a dissertation or master's thesis, please coordinate your work in the lab with your supervising faculty. You should additionally make use of the Center for Excellence in Writing, 209 Baldy Hall, when writing a dissertation or master's thesis. You need to make appointments directly with individuals in the center. Be sure to plan ahead to have enough lead-time to complete your work.