Approach of the Study
The proposed study will adopt a quantitative approach. This approach would highlight the objective elements and statistical or numerical information regarding the relationship between education level and HIV transmission among alcoholics in California. The quantitative approach is instrumental to the study because the SPSS data analysis tool is central to the development of the findings (Verma, 2012). Furthermore, the research study uses data from the inter-university consortium for Political and Social research, which is quantitative in nature and the chosen SPSS dataset is from the California Drug and Alcohol Treatment Assessment (CALDATA), 1991-1993. Indeed, the numerical characteristics of the data available make it difficult to use the qualitative research approach. In this regard, quantitative research emerges as the best research approach to the study (Ernst, 2003).
Possible Types of Secondary Data or Sources of Information
The use of secondary data in research refers to the use of information obtained from other research studies, or by other researchers who collect data from other studies. There are different types of secondary data available. They include official statistics, reference books, journals, literature review articles and technical reports (Vartanian, 2010). Based on the potential lack of credibility and validity of some of the research information obtained from some of the above sources, the possible secondary data types for the proposed study would be peer-reviewed journals, books, and official statistics. Their high validity, reliability, and credibility inform their selection (Vartanian, 2010). For example, official statistics are supposed to contain information prepared by governments, different agencies, bureaus, and departments. Most of these sources of information are credible (Vartanian, 2010). In the context of the proposed study, we will get official statistics from health agencies, the California state department of health and other relevant health or government agencies that would provide important information about education levels and HIV transmission among alcoholics in California. We would also seek information from peer-reviewed journals and books that shed light on the same topic.
Plans for Statistical Analysis of the DataSet
The motivation for using the SPSS data analysis tool is to make sure the proposed research answers the questions correctly and uses the available information to help the researcher get the required information (Verma, 2012). This strategy would help align the research aim with the results of analysis and interpretation. The data analysis plan involves thinking about the statistical analysis early to get a broader picture of the processes involved and the potential types of information we could get from the analysis. Some of the key components of the plan include understanding the purpose of evaluation, the research questions, what we hope to learn from the evaluation, the analysis technique, and the data presentation technique. This step would help develop a plan of undertaking the data analysis process. It would involve coding, entering and cleaning the data. We would later analyze and interpret the findings. The last stage of the data analysis process involves reflecting on the findings. Here, we would determine the lessons learned and the conclusions drawn from the study. This information would help in developing recommendations and understanding the limitations of our analysis. Overall, the data analysis plan would enable us to get the information required for the analysis by answering the research questions and applying the data analysis process correctly. It would also help us to align the desired report with the findings obtained from the analysis.
References
Ernst, A. (2003). Comparison of Qualitative and Quantitative Research. New York, NY: GRIN Verlag.
Vartanian, T. (2010). Secondary Data Analysis. Oxford, UK: Oxford University Press.
Verma, J. (2012). Data Analysis in Management with SPSS Software. New York, NY: Springer Science & Business Media.