Data classification for a PhD research paper is a procedure which entails the division of data into various sub-groups to provide a better organisation and structure to the data. It is important to classify data for a PhD research paper because it is lengthy and requires an ample amount of data. Organisation and data classification into various components makes the researcher’s job easier. Also, it helps the researcher to analyse and evaluate the data much better. This article will highlight the importance and significance of data classification for PhD research paper.
What is data classification?
Data classification refers to the process of organising and sorting the data into various categories to provide a systematic structure to the data. It helps the researchers sort, organise and retrieve the data efficiently. A PhD research paper has a broader scope and encompasses a vast amount of data. Researchers can easily identify and retrieve the relevant data for incorporating them in their research with the help of data classification. A researcher has to collect extensive data for a PhD research paper, and the data initially exists in the raw form, which is unsorted and unorganised. An unorganised data does not make sense, and it can be a bit overwhelming to derive meaningful insights from the data if it is not classified properly.
On the other hand, data classification makes the researcher’s job easier by sorting, categorising and organising the data into various categories. Researchers use labels and tags to organise the data. Also, data classification eliminates duplicate values and helps avoid redundancy and repetition. Unorganised data is bound to take up more storage than necessary. In contrast, classified data does not exceed the storage limit and therefore saves the additional cost of buying more storage for the data. Researchers can easily search and spot the relevant categories of data for statistical analysis and evaluation with the help of data classification.
What are the goals and objectives of data classification?
A PhD research paper is a rigorous research process comprising a significant amount of time. It takes years to complete a PhD degree, and therefore it entails collecting extensive data. Data collection is itself an exhaustive process in a PhD research paper. On top of that, there is the task of sorting the data and locating and retrieving the relevant data for analysis and evaluation. All of this cannot be achieved without first organising and categorising the data into relevant categories. Researchers have to classify and organise the data using labels, codes and filters to make their job easier. It helps them easily track the data and retrieve the relevant sub-categories for statistical analysis and evaluation. Also, data classification helps researchers ensure data confidentiality and privacy.
Data classification necessitates that the data must be cleansed and sorted using various programs and software. Researchers can also use Microsoft Excel for organising the numerical data if it is quantitative research. On the other hand, qualitative research deals with textual data, and therefore it requires sub-dividing the text into various themes. However, if you experience any difficulty in data classification for your PhD research paper, you can always take help from experts at Research Proposal Help.
What is the importance of data classification for a PhD research paper?
Ensures Data Confidentiality and Privacy
A PhD research paper mostly comprises primary research methods for data collection. PhD researchers have to produce original research by selecting a unique dissertation topic which requires collecting data from first-hand primary sources. Researchers must interact with multiple individuals to collect responses for their surveys, interviews and focus group discussions. The data collected through primary sources are confidential and private. Therefore, the researcher must take active measures to avoid breaching data confidentiality. Data classification can help the researcher ensure data confidentiality and privacy. A researcher can ensure data confidentiality only if he or she is familiar with the research data and the familiarisation with the data occurs once the researcher has compiled, sorted and organised the data.
Takes Up Less Storage
A PhD research paper is an extensive and lengthy project which entails collecting heaps of data to complete the research. A PhD candidate has a limited budget for carrying out the research, and on top of that, if there is an extra cost of storage, then it exceeds the budgeted amount for research. The primary concern of a researcher is to minimise the cost as much as possible. Large amounts of data require extra storage, which means an additional cost is incurred on the research expenses. Unclassified data usually takes more storage than classified data and subsequently saves the extra cost.
Makes the Analysis Process Easy
Data classification makes the task of data analysis easier by helping the researcher classify and organise the data. Once the data is organised and sorted into various categories, a researcher can easily track and retrieve the relevant bits and pieces of data for evaluation. Categorisation and classification are done using labels and tags, making the entire data evaluation process smoother and more efficient. Also, data classification in a PhD research paper removes the duplicating values and filters out the irrelevant data. It makes the job of the researcher easier because duplication and redundancies often lead to invalid inferences.
Track Performance
Data classification for PhD research paper helps the researcher track his or her performance. A researcher must ensure that there is ample data to address the research questions, aims and objectives of the research. Once the researcher classifies the data, he or she has a clear picture of the amount of data required for carrying out data analysis and evaluation. A researcher can recollect the missing data according to the study’s aims and objectives. Also, it helps the researcher understand when there is time to stop collecting the data. It often happens in data collection for large projects such as PhD research papers that researchers often get bogged down by excessive information. However, data classification can help researchers identify the limit of data collection and stop collecting the data to avoid repetitions and redundancies.
Conclusion
Data classification in PhD research ensures the derivation of valid inferences and for generating meaningful insights from the data. Data classification helps the researchers identify and retrieve the relevant data from the marked or labelled categories.