Abstract
The focus of the present paper is to illuminate several issues related to the MS Excel and SPSS software applications, and also to use a case scenario to discuss the ethical responsibilities associated with criminal justice research methods. Specifically, the paper discusses how the Excel program could be used in the management domain to interpret data, before discussing the main benefits associated with the SPSS software. Afterward, the paper uses a case example to discuss potential ethical issues that could arise in survey research in terms of autonomy, informed consent, privacy, confidentiality, fabrication, and falsification.
Introduction
Criminal justice practitioners need to have adequate knowledge and understanding of the various tools and applications used to analyze and interpret quantitative data. Indeed, the available scholarship underscores the importance of professionals to be aware of the research process and how they could utilize software applications to analyze and interpret data (Maxfield & Babbie, 2010; Valera, Cook, Macklin, & Chang, 2014). The present paper not only illuminates several issues related to the MS Excel and SPSS software applications but also employs a case scenario to discuss the ethical responsibilities associated with criminal justice research methods.
Using Excel to Interpret Data
A manager can use the pivot tables and charts embedded in the MS Excel program to analyze and interpret quantitative data. Available literature demonstrates that “pivot tables are extremely powerful tools for data analysis and pivot charts allow the visualization of that analysis” (Sample, n.d., p. 10). Here, a manager may use the MS Excel program to create a pivot table and chart of the data gathered from a field- or web-based survey with the view to finding useful information about the patterns observed in the data, after which they can communicate and/or interpret the results through the use of graphs. Additionally, a manager can use the MS Excel program to not only compare the patterns that emerge in the results but also to note if there are any deviations or divergences from the expected patterns. Furthermore, the manager can use the various formulas embedded in the Excel program to calculate common descriptive statistics (frequency distribution, percentage, mean, mode, median, range, standard deviation, variance, and ranking), after which the resulting data can be interpreted based on the scores for each descriptive statistic or variable (Yalta, 2008). Lastly, a manager can use the various functions of the MS Excel program (e.g., the sorting and filtering functions) to not only understand data trends but also to select a subset of data to display, analyze and interpret (Anderson, 2009).
Major Benefits of SPSS Software
One of the main benefits is anchored on the fact that, unlike the Excel program which often leads to methodological errors when undertaking complex analysis (Yalta, 2008), the SPSS program leads to accurate statistical results. Another benefit relates to the fact that the SPSS software is well known and supported as it has been in the market for a long time and many statistics-based textbooks in distribution today are based on this application. The third main benefit relates to ease of use of the SPSS software, particularly in terms of data importation into other programs and easily understandable graphical user interface (Anderson, 2009). Here, it is important to note that criminal justice practitioners using other programs can import SPSS data files into these programs with ease. Additionally, due to its graphical user interface, criminal justice practitioners are facilitated to access and easily use a multiplicity of statistical functions to enter, analyze, and interpret data. The fourth main benefit relates to the fact that the software is up-to-date since it is updated every year and minor software updates can be easily accessed via the corporate website. Other noted benefits include broad coverage (the software includes a huge quantity of statistical routines and formulas that are suitable for an introductory statistics course) and availability of help (the software contains inbuilt help tutorials and there is a wide range of excellent textbooks that provide comprehensive information on how to use the SPSS software (Anderson, 2009).
Ethical Issues in Survey Research
Available literature demonstrates that the integrity, reliability, and validity of any research findings are to a large extent dependent on how the researchers can adhere to ethical standards and principles when collecting data from the field (Maxfield & Babbie, 2010). Drawing from this elucidation, it is evident that several ethical issues could arise if the information obtained from a survey was utilized to develop an ideal profile of characteristics that an organization relied upon to recruit employees. First, the potential employees would want to know if the subjects chose to participate in their survey out of their own free will (right to self-determination or autonomy) and if they were duly informed about the purpose of the survey to make an informed consent for participation. If these issues were absent, the recruits have every right to question the validity and reliability of the survey findings in creating an ideal profile of characteristics for use in hiring employees. Additionally, potential employees would want to know if privacy and confidentiality were guaranteed during the data collection exercise if any form of fabrication and/or falsification of data took place during data collection and analysis, and if participants were competent enough to decide on participation (Blair, Czaja, & Blair, 2013; Fowler, 2013). The ideal profile of characteristics used by the company to hire employees can be termed as valid and reliable if these ethical issues were successfully met or addressed during the various stages and processes of survey research.
References
Anderson, D.R. (2009). Essentials of modern business statistics (4th ed.). Eagan, MN: Cengage South-Western.
Blair, J., Czaja, R.F., & Blair, E.A. (2013). Designing surveys: A guide to decisions and procedures. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications.
Fowler, F.J. (2013). Survey research methods. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications.
Maxfield, M.G., & Babbie, E.R. (2010). Research methods for criminal justice and criminology. Boston, MA: Cengage Learning.
Sample, S. (n.d.). Analyzing data using Excel. Web.
Valera, P., Cook, S., Macklin, R., & Chang, Y. (2014). Conducting health disparities research with criminal justice populations: Examining research, ethics, and participation. Ethics and Behavior, 24, 164-174. Web.
Yalta, A. T. (2008). The accuracy of statistical distributions in Microsoft Excel 2007. Computational Statistics & Data Analysis, 52, 4579-4586. Web.