Students who are doing projects involving statistical analysis often face the question of what kind of tests they should conduct to derive the hidden meanings behind the numbers they have collected. The students are given the choice of a plethora of methods in data analysis. Some of them choose to use complex techniques, while others use simple methods. Those who use simple methods opt for one of the simplest methods of all, which is the univariate analysis method.
The word uni often signifies one, and that is precisely what this type of analysis focuses on. This method gives all its attention to just a single variable. Let us take the example of researchers who are examining factors involving a certain group of people. They select one variable, age. Once they have chosen this variable, they then go on to examine all the factors that are associated with this one variable. They examine different age groups, they examine the number of people that can be found in each age group, and even derive percentages and make graphs based on this one variable.
This type of analysis simplifies the job of the researchers and allows them to focus all their attention on one aspect of the research. They can delve as deep as they want into a single variable like age or income or a product and get all the information they want. Many analysts perform univariate analysis on many different variables and then collate the data afterwards. Tables can be constructed easily in this analytical method, while it does not take a lot of effort to calculate mean, median and mode.
Researchers who are focusing all their attention on a single variable in a field of study would be well advised to use this method of analysis.
