After the preparation of master chart, it is necessary to break this into different parts which are useful for analysis according to the objectives of survey. This is the most important part for starting the analysis of data. Here, we shall study the process of classification and tabulation of data.
7.1 CLASSIFICATION OF DATA
The data is to be classified according to the objectives and hypothesis of the study is performed with the help of frequency distributions. Reclassification is a process to rearrange responses with the help of statistical techniques, which helps researcher to justify the tabulation. Once, the responses are coded, these codes are summated and re-classified may be
as ‘high,’ ‘medium’ and ‘low’. For example, the income groups can be reclassified as ‘high,’
‘medium’ and ‘low’ income groups as follows:
Income Groups Codes Reclassification
Upto Rs. 15,000 1 Low
Rs. 15,000 to Rs.25,000 Rs. 25,000 to Rs.35,000
2
3 Medium
Rs. 35,000 or more 4 High
The basic principle in the process of classification or re-classification is that the categories thus obtained must be exhaustive and mutually exclusive. In other words, the categories have to be independent and not overlapping.
There are various types of classifications which are categorized into the following four types:
I. Qualitative Classification - When the classification is done according to some attributes or qualities (non-measurable characteristics), then it is called as qualitative classification. For example, classification according to gender, nationality, religion, occupation, etc.
II. Quantitative Classification – When the classification is done according to some variables or quantities (measurable characteristics), then it is called as quantitative classification. For example, classification according to age, monthly income, weight, height, etc.
III. Chronological Classification – When the classification of data is done in a chronological order, i.e., according to the time of occurrence, then it is called as a chronological classification. For example, numbers of students passing graduation with First Class from DDCE of Utkal University in different years, number of births in a village in different years, etc.
IV. Spatial Classification – When the classification of data is made according to different geographical areas like villages, Blocks, Tehsils, Districts, States or Countries or Regions, Climatic Zones, then it is called as a spatial classification.
7.2 TABULATION OF DATA
Tabulation is a process of presenting data in a compact form i.e., systematic presentation of data in rows and columns, in such a way that it facilitate comparisons and derive the type of relations present between variables. This also helps the researcher to perform statistical operation on the data to draw inferences. Tabulation can be generally in the form of uni-variate, bi-variate, tri or multi-variate tables. Accordingly, analysis proceeds in the form of uni-variate analysis, bivariate analysis and tri or multi-variate analysis.
A table consists of four parts as follows:
I. Title – The tit le o f the table is self-explanat ory describing the contents of the table. It is placed at the head of the table wit h a table number for ready reference.
II. Stub – The extreme left hand co lumn containing the heading/
descript io ns o f the rows, wit h its own heading is known as the stub.
III. Captions – These are the heading/ descript ions o f the co lumns and sub - columns other than the Stub in the upper part of the table.
IV. Body – It is the main part of the table except the Tit le, Stub &
Capt ions. It contains the numerical informatio n which are arranged in the table according to the descript io n of rows and Co lumns given in stub and Capt ions.
At the end of the table, the source from which the contents of the table are derived should be specified. Consider the example given in Table 4 in the Appendix.
7.2.1 TYPES OF TABULATION There are two types of tabulation:
a. Simple Tabulation b. Complex Tabulation a. Simple Tabulation
In these types of tabulation, the values of the items are placed just below the headings indicative of the characteristics. This type of tables is also called as One-way tables.
Table 4 given in the Appendix is an example of simple tabulation.
b. Complex Tabulation
In these types of tabulation, the values are representative of the characteristics shown both by the column and the row headings. These types of tables are also called as two-way
tables. Such types of tabulation are also called as Cross tabulation. See Table 5 of the Appendix.
In the similar way, we can form three-way, four-way or manifold tables.