What is Analysis?
http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/analysis
Medical Dictionary
Main Entry: analysis
Pronunciation: &-'nal-&-s&s
Function: noun
Inflected Form: plural analyses /-"sEz/
1 : separation of a whole into its component parts
2 a : the identification or separation of ingredients of a substance b : a statement of the constituents of a mixture
3 : PSYCHOANALYSIS
Analysis is the process of examining and evaluating data, information, or a situation to gain a deeper understanding of its components, patterns, and relationships. It involves breaking down complex ideas, concepts, or problems into smaller parts and systematically exploring them to draw meaningful conclusions.
To understand analysis better, let's break down the process into several steps:
1. Define the objective: Clearly identify the purpose of the analysis. What do you want to solve or understand? Clearly defining the objective helps in focusing the analysis.
2. Gather data: Collect relevant data or information that is required to address the objective. You can use various sources like surveys, interviews, experiments, databases, or existing reports.
3. Data organization: Organize the gathered data into a structured format, such as a spreadsheet, table, or graph. This step helps you identify patterns, trends, and outliers within the data.
4. Data exploration: Dive deep into the data and look for meaningful relationships, hidden patterns, or insights. Use statistical methods, visualizations, or other tools to explore the data in-depth.
5. Data interpretation: Analyze the findings and interpret the results. This involves connecting the dots, deriving conclusions, and making logical inferences from the data. It’s essential to consider the context and any limitations or biases in the analysis.
6. Communication: Communicate the analysis findings in a clear and concise manner. This could involve creating reports, presentations, or visual representations of the analysis results to effectively convey the insights to others.
Overall, analysis is a systematic approach that brings structure and understanding to complex situations by examining and interpreting data. It helps in making informed decisions, solving problems, and gaining insights for better understanding.