Blog Week 5- Experimenting and Learning New Methods

I began performing statistical analysis on my data this week. It was harder than I had anticipated because even before the analysis could begin, much formatting had to be done in order for the data to be digestible by the platforms I was using. I thought since I had downloaded my data in CSV form, it would naturally be converted into an applicable form, but I found myself making multiple tweaks to my tables before my platforms would accept them, which will make this analysis phase of my project slightly more lengthy and tedious than expected.

As for my analysis, I tried out two different methods this week. The first was using an economic software called Gretl to perform linear regressions. It is intended primarily for users with a programming background, so it was slightly difficult for me because I have taken simple coding and computer classes in middle school, but I lack more intricate experience. I began experimenting with the different options and playing around with the data so I could understand how to use it. Some aspects of it were intuitive, but I require further research on other aspects before I can fully begin my regressions and note discontinuity.

My second method was using Datanyx, a data analysis tool developed by Tekzima, the company I am interning for. I initially thought I wouldn’t be able to use this approach because the tool is mainly designed for much larger pools of data. However, after conversing with colleagues about my project, I saw that it would still be a worthwhile tool to use. It has been a busy week for the company, but I was still able to spend a bit of time learning about how to use Datanyx from them and experiment with different models. I hope to meet with them more next week to see in more detail how I can implement it into my research.