De La Salle University – Dasmariñas

College of Engineering, Architecture and

Technology
Architecture Department

RESEARCH METHODS FOR

ARCHITECTURE:
STATISTICAL TREATMENT

Submitted by:
DE PEDRO, MA. ARNIE ANN P.
ARC 42

Submitted to:
AR. JUANITO SY, uap

April 12, 2019

 One of the more efficient and effective methods of analyzing data in connection
with research objectives is the use of statistical techniques. Statistics is efficient
because it provides a systematic structure for the organization of research data. It
requires minimum of resources for the attainment of your research purposes. In being
an efficient method of data analysis, statistical techniques are very effective in a sense
that get to answer your question without your feeling subjectivity that gotten into the
results of the analysis. Feeling and subjectivity judgement seem to be obscene terms in
in a scientific endeavor like research study. Therefore, deliberately keep them to a
minimum, otherwise the result of your analysis will be distortion of the aspect of reality
which endeavor to describe, interpret and explain.

The use of statistics, in the analysis of data does not only always assure
objectivity that is much valued in a scientific study. Objectivity is minimal if the statistical
analysis is not needed at all in some studies. Thus, in a study where statistical approach
is needed, the first requirement is that the statistical test will you will use is appropriate.
There are primary considerations in the choice of statistical treatment that will prove to
be useful. (Research Methods Revised Edition by Consuelo G. Sevilla, Ed. D., Jesus A.
Ochave, Ph, D., Twila G. Punsalan, Ph. D., Bella P. Regalla, M.A., & Gabriel G. Uriarte,
Ph. D.)

1. The choice of a statistical test is dictated by the questions for which the
research is designed.
2. The level, distribution and dispersion of data also suggest the type of
statistical test to be used. Second considerations are the extent of your
knowledge.

Secondary considerations are:

1. The extent of your knowledge of statistics; and

2. Availability of resources in connection with the computation and interpretation
of data.

The nature of your research question or problem overrides almost all other
considerations in choosing a statistical test. A research that inquires into the relationship
between variables will need a test of relationship. Notwithstanding the fact that almost
all statistical test ae generally tests on relationship, a research designed to provide
solution to a problem of which two or more groups are higher or lower on a dependent
of criterion variable will call for one of those statistical tests on group comparisons. A
question on the consistency of the distribution of a set of experimental or survey data
with an expected of theoretical dissepimental or survey data with an expected or
theoretical distribution will require one of the goodness of fit statistical test. Somewhat
more complex research problems wherein the simultaneous relationship or effect of two
or more factors is of interest, a relatively more complex statistical test will be
appropriate. The nature of raw data as another primary consideration traditionally has
three items in connection with the nature of raw data that are considered in the choice
of statistics. These are the level or scale of measurement under which the raw data are
classified, the distribution or shape of these data when organized as a group, and the
within group scatter of the same data. The classic issues among statisticians on the
type of statistics to employ on certain data, the item on the level of measurement of data
still appears to be most important.

In recent years, assumptions about the dispersions and shapes of data do not
seem to be so important as they had been ten or more years ago. Studies arising from
computer simulations wherein assumptions regarding normality of shapes and
homogeneity of dispersions have been violated yielded results demonstrating that such
assumptions need not be strictly adhere. Generally, the simulations found that the
proportion of cases at and beyond given standard values are as expected. (Mingus,
1976). Data on dependent and independent variables may be classified under one of
the following scales measurement and that are:

1. Nominal
2. Ordinal
3. interval
4. ratio

Data that are used to label or categorize observations, and which do not have
any greater than or less that relations to each other are nominal in nature. A good
example of this is the factor sex. The numeral 1 may be assigned to every male
respondent, while the number 2 to be assigned to every female respondent. In as much
as there are no greater or less that relationships between the numerals 1 and 2 as
assigned the coding can be interchanged. What is important is that once the code 1 is
assigned to males, and 2 to females, the assignment should be consistent throughout
the analysis. The responses yes or no are treated in the same manner, if in principle is
no higher than or lower than relationship between the two responses. While ordinal data
are ranked- ordered data with respect to a trait or characterized by greater than, equal
to and less than relations. And for the interval and ratio data these are the data which
can be placed along a continuum or scale wherein distances between points are equal.
Raw data that belong to this category are characterized by greater than or equal to or
less than relations plus the added feature of equality of distances between intervals.
The main difference between interval and ratio data lies in the treatment of the zero
point. Data that are of the interval level can be assigned a flexible zero point which by
no means does not mean absolute zero or none of the trait or performance being
measured. (Research Methods Revised Edition by Consuelo G. Sevilla, Ed. D., Jesus
A. Ochave, Ph, D., Twila G. Punsalan, Ph. D., Bella P. Regalla, M.A., & Gabriel G.
Uriarte, Ph. D.)

The training and availability of resources as secondary considerations is

practically considered as your own training and how much you already know about
statistical tests. The amount of time you can afford to study a statistical test for analysis
of your data should be reckoned with. If what you already know about statistics does not
seem appropriate for the problem at hand, then you can do is to study statistical test
and or consult with specialist in statistics. (Research Methods Revised Edition by
Consuelo G. Sevilla, Ed. D., Jesus A. Ochave, Ph, D., Twila G. Punsalan, Ph. D., Bella
P. Regalla, M.A., & Gabriel G. Uriarte, Ph. D.)

There are two general types of statistical tests:

1. Parametric
2. Non-parametric
Parametric tests are usually used for data that are of the interval or ratio levels of
measurement. In addition, the within the group scatter of scores of each of the group to
be compared should be equal, and that the population distributions from where the
samples were obtained must be bell-shaped, normal or symmetrical. While the non-
parametric tests are sometimes called distribution-free statistics since their uses do not
always depend on the specific type of score distribution like the normal curve. Most
frequently used parametric tests are the Z, t, and F-test. The Z-test is one of the sample
means used to determine if an on obtained sample mean or average of scores or values
is but a random sample from a population with a given or hypothesized or expected
population mean. While the t-test for dependent sample means is used to determine if
there is a significant difference between two groups of correlated scores in terms of their
means. For the t-test in independent sample is used to determine if an observed
difference between the average of two independent groups is statistically significant.
The one-way analysis of variance is used in order to determine if there are differences
among means of three or more groups. The two-analysis of variance is employed in
order to determine the main and interaction effects of two independent factors. When as
significant value yielded by the analysis of variance test is also called F-value in order to
determine which means are different. (Research Methods Revised Edition by Consuelo
G. Sevilla, Ed. D., Jesus A. Ochave, Ph, D., Twila G. Punsalan, Ph. D., Bella P.
Regalla, M.A., & Gabriel G. Uriarte, Ph. D.)

As the end of the day your choice of statistical technique depends primarily on
your research problem, and the raw data representing research observations.
Secondarily, your choice also depends on your training in statistics or availability or
resources in connection with research.