There are a lot of approaches that can be used to express the results of the research in a more effective and illustrative way. It is necessary to highlight the importance of the proper method as it often helps to make the results evident and attract the attention of a wider audience that may be low-skilled if we consider the ability to read graphs and understand statistical data. As for the methods and approaches that are used to express the results of nursing research, it is possible to say that the researchers tend to use almost all of the ways of reporting the results paying special attention to the type of research.
Reflecting on methods of presenting the results of nursing research, it is necessary to put an increased focus on scatter plots that allow us to visualize the results and show the diversity found during the experiment. A Scatter plot is one of the types of diagrams that helps to represent the information found during practical research. These diagrams help to show relationships that exist between two variables studied during the work. To establish the principle of illustrating these variables, two axes are used (Fowler, Jarvis, & Chevannes, 2013). The latter are located vertically and horizontally, and the necessary data that is depicted in the diagram illustrates the relationship between the positions on these axes for each unit. If we speak about the studies in the field of nursing, it is necessary to say that the number of elements depicted on a scatter plot denotes the number of participants or particular cases investigated during the work (Grove & Cipher, 2016, p. 107). Another important advantage connected to the use of scatter plots is that it allows illustrating the positive or negative correlation between the two factors studied.
Moreover, the type of correlation that is reported with the help of a graph is defined by the direction of the depicted points. The additional advantage is connected to the fact that expressing the results with the help of the scatter plot helps to demonstrate not only the type of correlation between the variables (such as positive or negative). Reading the scatter plot, it is also possible to define the degree of intensity of this correlation and there is no doubt that it allows us to synthesize the results of the research and make far-reaching conclusions more effectively. To continue, there is a lot of relevant information that can be retrieved from the scatter plot. For instance, it may be extremely important to analyze the spacing between different points depicted on a graph during summing up the results of the research. Thus, if there is a group of closely-spaced points, this fact shows that there is a more convincing proof of certain tendencies connected to the link between variables. As it is clear from many observations that have been made, the most important benefit connected to the use of scatter plots to report the results is related to its ability to highlight certain tendencies. To put it in other words, the image created by the points allows defining the area depicting the average situation that in some cases may be referred to as normal.
To conclude, the use of scatter plots is beneficial as it allows us to study the type and the intensity of the relationship between the variables and examine the broad picture of the situation including both typical and exceptional cases.
References
Fowler, J., Jarvis, P., & Chevannes, M. (2013). Practical statistics for nursing and health care. Chichester, UK: John Wiley & Sons.
Grove, S. K., & Cipher, D. J. (2016). Statistics for nursing research: A workbook for evidence-based practice. St-Louis, MO: Elsevier Health Sciences.