Compile and Report Data (information and documents)

Course Outline

RESEARCH DESIGNS AND DATA COLLECTION METHODS

Research Designs
Overview of Primary and Secondary Data Collection Methods
Developing a Hypothesis
Linking Analytical Objectives to Organisational Objectives
PLANNING THE DATA COLLECTION PROJECT

Advantages of Planning
The Project Charter
The Components of the Project Charter
SAMPLING

Sampling Terminology and Definitions
Sampling Overview
Sample Size Calculation
Sampling Techniques
Sources of Sampling Errors
EXPLORATORY RESEARCH: SECONDARY DATA

Secondary Data Overview
Internal Secondary Data
External Secondary Data
Advantages and Disadvantages of Secondary Data
Data Integrity and the Internet
EXPLORATORY RESEARCH: INTERVIEWS

Overview of Interviews
Types of Interviews
Interview Preparation
The Interview Guide
Professionalism
Recording the Interview
DESCRIPTIVE RESEARCH: SURVEYS

Parts of a Survey
Survey Objective
Open-Ended/Closed-Ended Questions
Survey Design
Levels of Measurement
Determining Scales
Sources of Possible Survey Error
Increasing the Response Rate
Electronic Survey Tools
EXPLORATORY DATA ANALYSIS

Exploratory Data Analysis
Descriptive Analysis of Statistics
Data Description Report
PREPARING THE DATA

Data Definition Files
Assessing Data Quality
Identifying and Handling Missing Data
Applying Business Rules to Data Quality
More Data Preparation Techniques
Documenting Assumptions and Rationale for Data Selection

BUILDING REPORT SOLUTIONS

• Conceptualising and understanding report solutions
• Developing a report solution
• Configuring spreadsheet report data options
• Enabling background refresh
• Refreshing data when opening the file
• Combo-box data modelling tool
• List-box data modelling tool
• Form controls data modelling tools
• Spinner
• Option-button modelling
• Check-box data models
• Combo and group-box

MACRO CHARGED REPORTING

• Recording, editing, testing VBA macros
• Building a macro-driven reconciliation program
• Building a budget variance reporting program
• Building a vendor and invoice analysis report