Skip to main content

Data analytics: How scientific enquiry process impacts quality of policy research

By IMPRI Team 

Given the multidimensionality of policy and impact research, tech-driven policy prescriptions are playing a dominant role in the 21st century. As such, data analytics have become integral in this space. IMPRI Generation Alpha Data Centre (GenAlphaDC), IMPRI Impact and Policy Research Institute New Delhi has successfully conducted a #WebPolicyTalk 6-Week Immersive Online Hands-on Certificate Training Course on Data Analytics for Policy Research, spanning over 6-consecutive Saturdays from October 15th to November 19th, 2022. Along with this, datasets for hands-on learning were also provided for data analysis and learning.
Participants were required to make a submission for evaluation at the end of the course, to obtain the certificate. This course comprised hands-on data learning sessions and various expert sessions on data discourses. The course especially catered to data and policy enthusiasts – including students, professionals, researchers, and other individuals looking for a comprehensive foundation for data-based policy research. The training programme was conducted by an expert group of academicians which included Prof Nilanjan Banik, Professor and Program Director (BA, Economics and Finance) at Mahindra University, Hyderabad; Prof Utpal K. De, Professor, Department of Economics at North-Eastern Hill University (NEHU), Shillong and a Visiting Professor at IMPRI.
Others included Prof Vibhuti Patel, Visiting Professor, IMPRI and a Former Professor, Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS), Mumbai; Dr Soumyadip Chattopadhyay, Associate Professor, Economics at Visva-Bharati, Santiniketan and a Visiting Senior Fellow, IMPRI; Prof Nalin Bharti, Professor, Department of Humanities and Social Sciences, Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Patna and a Visiting Senior Fellow, IMPRI; Prof Gummadi Sridevi, Professor, School of Economics, University of Hyderabad and Visiting Senior Fellow at IMPRI; Dr Amar Jesani, Independent Researcher and Teacher (Bioethics and Public Health) and Editor of Indian Journal of Medical Ethics; Dr Ismail Haque, Fellow, Indian Council for Research on International Economic Relations (ICRIER) and a Visiting Fellow at IMPRI; Dr Arjun Kumar Director, IMPRI.

Day 1 | October 15, 2022

The first day started with a brief introduction of the panellists. Post the introduction, Prof Nilanjan Banik took over and commenced the training programme. He started by introducing concepts of Distribution Functions, and Normal Distributions, with explanations about how to interpret normal distribution tables. He explained the underlying concepts of class intervals and population density functions among others. Prof Banik used a data set of property prices in order to provide a more hands-on example. This hands-on session was followed by an insightful session on “Research Ethics in Primary Data Collection and Analysis”.
The speaker for the session was Dr Amar Jesani, who delved into the importance of ethics in research, including the protection of participants, the relevance of Research Ethics Frameworks and Research Integrity (prevention of misconduct in research). He mentioned 8 critical benchmarks of ethical research: 1.) Social Value; 2.) Scientific Validity; 3.) Favourable Risk Benefit Ratio; 4.) Fair Selection of Study Population; 5.) Informed Consent; 6.) Redirect for Participants and Communities; 7.) Independent Review; 8.) Collaborative Partnerships. He then went on to individually explain these benchmarks.

Day 2 | October 22, 2022

The second day began with an introduction to Sampling and Analysis by Prof Utpal De. In order to understand these concepts better, he talked about the various steps required in conducting a sample survey. He also discussed the various types of sampling methods: Simple random sampling, Systematic Sampling, Stratified Random Sampling, Two-Stage Sampling, Cluster Sampling, Multi-Stage Sampling and the like. This was followed by a discussion on the Statistical Systems in India and an Introduction to Various Official and Other Databases, India’s Macroeconomic and Financial Data by Dr Arjun Kumar and Ms Anshula Mehta, Senior Assistant Director at IMPRI. They talked about various sources of official data and what sources one can use for research work. These included the Government System of Scrutiny, Annual Report of Ministry, Program data and dashboard, Press Information Bureau (PIB), Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) Report, Parliamentary Committee Report and NITI Aayog. The issues and challenges with respect to the official data available were also discussed.
Problems of credibility, reliability and timeliness were discussed. Discrepancies in macroeconomic data, with respect to Gross Domestic Product (GDP), Banking and National Accounts pose another such challenge. As for Unemployment, Poverty and Inequality, methodological and estimation issues have been observed. Additionally, problems with the public availability of data have also been seen. This enriching discussion was followed by a session on Introduction to Geographic Information System (GIS) mapping and Visualisation of Geocoded data by Dr Ismail Haque. A GIS is a system designed to capture, store, manipulate, analyse, manage and present all types of geographically referenced or spatial data. It helps in mapping quantities, densities and trajectories. He explained the various types of GIS Data, predominantly the Vector Data Model and Raster Data Model. Dr Haque gave the participants a walkthrough of the QGIS software interface. He explained how to show the rental housing distribution on a map of Bangalore using various features of the software.

Day 3 | October 29, 2022

The third day started with Prof Banik delving into concepts of the standard normal distribution (Z Distribution), the T-tests, and the differences between these, again, with the use of data sets. He showed how to find out variance, mean, the P value, the test statistic and explained what the different components of the test statistic meant, such as the degrees of freedom, 2-tail and 1-tail tests, among others. After a comprehensive analysis of the data set, he moved on to provide some homework to the trainees. This was followed by an explanation of the concept of hypothesis testing which is an integral part of data analysis, and how the null hypothesis and alternate hypothesis will be different for two-tailed tests and one-tailed tests respectively. The P value, he explained, shows the probability that the null hypothesis is true. After explaining every new concept, Prof Banik ensured that the session was open for questions in order to clear doubts.
His session was followed by another session titled ‘Time Series Analysis: A Primer’, conducted by Prof Soumyadip Chattopadhyay, who tried to showcase how to run a regression analysis using time series data using a particular data set. Here he focused mainly on univariate time series models. He briefly explained the concept of regression analysis and then moved on to explain the stationarity of a time series model. Both theoretically and practically, he showed how stationarity influences a regression analysis, the concepts of weak stationary and non-stationary processes. After this, he explained the different tests for stationarity: the graphical approach, the Autocorrelation Function and Correlogram, the Unit Root Test and the Dickey-Fuller Test. He then explained what a Spurious Regression Problem is (when there is a high R2 value greater than the Durbin Watson D Statistic), and how such a regression problem does not have practical policy relevance. He showed the different ways to prevent the Spurious Regression Problem, such as Cointegration and the Engle-Granger Theorem. Using EViews, Prof Chattopadhyay then showed the trainees how to run the above-mentioned regression tests, explaining the various components present in them.

Day 4 | November 5, 2022

The fourth day commenced with Prof Banik discussing the homework given to the trainees the previous day. He then discussed how to frame the objectives and the claims before testing a hypothesis and the two ways to capture causality. He explained what it meant to standardise the data and how to do it using Excel. Carefully explaining the differences between correlation and regression, he noted the importance of distinguishing between the two during data analysis. The major difference, he showed, is in the concept of linearity. Using the data analysis tools in Excel, he individually explained the various concepts of the ANOVA table, Residual Output and the R square among others, based on a data set of property prices. The objective was to check if the various variables such as “Square Feet”, “Year Built”, “Lot Size” etc, influence the prices of the properties, that is, which variables are statistically significant. Following Prof Banik, a new session commenced under Prof Vibhuti Patel, titled “Feminist Principles in Scientific Inquiry”.
The session primarily catered to the need for being gender-responsive while conducting a scientific enquiry since the process itself impacts the result of the research. She started by outlining the broader question of feminist principles in research: the need to reduce interviewer bias, increase the response rate, create more interactive and empowering experiences, facilitate trust while conducting interviews on sensitive issues such as domestic violence, caste-based exclusion, discrimination, among others and the need of ensuring complete knowledge. Feminist perspectives have immense transformative potential in terms of driving social change, she mentioned. It can validate the experiences of women by mainstreaming the gender perspective. However, she mentioned how there needs to be the use of “conscious subjectivity”, that inherently takes into consideration the privileged ideal position of the researcher. As such, there needs to be a sense of solidarity towards the subject, reducing the distance between the researcher and the researched. She then talked about the relevance of the Feminist Standpoint Theory in scientific Inquiry: that one’s social location limits their base of knowledge.
Knowledge generated about women by “experts” cannot be in isolation, that is, without the active participation of women themselves. Such complete research reports include the Sharmashakti Report, Time Use Survey among others, she noted. The next part of her presentation was about power relations: how dominant ideology subjugates the knowledge of the marginalised. She noted that one of the leading concerns of feminist perspectives is to bring about knowledge of the marginalised ideology, which often gets encapsulated within the elitist androcentric intellectual legacy. Hence within feminist perspectives, there is a need to challenge existing power structures in order to empower the subaltern. Traditional Research Methods of the 1950s till the 1970s were gender-blind, and were guided by the Role Conflict Theory, often giving into patriarchal explanations. She traced back the roots of feminist perspectives in economic research and surveys in India, elaborating on how various paid and unpaid work came to be recognised over the years.
She reiterates the famous 1984 quote, “Women constitute ½ of the world’s population, do ⅔ of the world’s work and get 1/10 of the world’s income and own 1/100 of the world’s wealth.” Prof Patel emphasised the importance of qualitative techniques while encountering gender issues. Lastly, she explained the Grounded Theory, which refers to systematic inductive methods that use particular facts to form general rules and principles. These principles are used to conduct qualitative research that develops theory and explains the studied empirical phenomena. The Grounded Theory has become a game changer in conducting feminist surveys in India. She concluded by briefly summing up the significance of feminist principles and perspectives in research and scientific inquiry and noted that we still have a long way to go in this regard. With this, the sessions for day 4 ended.

Day 5 | November 12, 2022

The fifth day was proceeded by Prof Nilanjan Banik, who tried to emancipate the gathered audience over the materials to be discussed. He continued where he left off in the previous session. He explained the concept of errors and how it is very necessary to minimize errors when estimating values based on some variables. The errors from various deviations such as moments and skewness can be calculated by various methods. He then proceeded to explain an error from a linear regression function, by explaining various factors involved such as stochastic variables. The methodology used in the calculation was explained and how the interplay of various factors like beta and collinearity are relevant. In order to verify certain conditions, the Jarque Bera Statistics was briefly explained along with the general techniques that are used. Skewness was explained next with a few examples. A data set was taken to practically explain the whole process using variables that consisted of family income and family consumption.
The conditional mean was calculated using the data set, plotted on axes. It is very important to minimize the sum of squares of errors which can be calculated with the help of some formulas. Although these are mathematical, the results are calculated based on certain assumptions which were discussed. The various interpretation of different results was also discussed ahead. Next up, the data set shared previously is used to calculate the various results that have been discussed theoretically so far, such as t-test, error from the regression equation, ESS, RSS, TSS, and so on, over an excel sheet for practical understanding. These results were interpreted by Prof. Nilanjan for a better understanding of their significance. Next, the next session was preceded by Dr Vibhuti Patel, wherein the floor was made open for questions on the session which talked about Feminism in Data Analytics. She started off talking briefly about the ShramShakti Report. She then discussed the time-use survey introduced by the Government of India and the NSSO.
She further emphasized the involvement of feminist ideology in various fields such as sociology, psychology, and the very power structure in general. The predetermined bias and background can be influential in various decision-making scenarios. Various institutions should consider these aspects when looking into data structures. She further talked about her experience in the field of feminism and data analytics, participating and researching in various events and organizations. The session was then taken over by Dr Soumyadip Chattopadhyay. He began by explaining the concept of forecasting as a continuation of time series analysis, the method used in the process which is ARIMA. The AR model, its properties, and the result derived were explained using various assumptions and formulations for the calculation of ARIMA. Similarly, the MA model, its properties, and the result derived were explained keeping in mind the various assumptions and using specific formulations.
Further, the process and result of the ARMA model were explained. The PACF used in the AR and MA process was discussed along with the factors that lead to its requirement. He then emphasized the fact that it is very important to identify the type of regression function to select any particular method for forecasting, based on various characteristics. Next, the Box Jenkins method for forecasting was explained, which uses various models in its process. This was followed by the evaluation of forecasts, explaining the assumptions before calculations, and the conditions for selecting a particular model. Finally, the practicality of the theory being discussed was dealt with, with the help of EViews and importing the data set from excel.

Day 6 | November 19, 2022

Day 6 began with the session headed by Prof Nilanjan Banik. He started briefly explaining the materials of the previous session. He continued with the assumptions that are taken into account while finding errors. He proceeded with the data set that he left in the previous session, starting with the F-test and continuing further on the theories and deriving the results that were discussed in the previous sessions with the help of Excel. He then worked on a new data set to calculate multicollinearity with the help of EViews using regression and other statistical functions. He then proceeded with the calculation and explanation of Auto Correlation taking into account a data set. Continuing with the data set he then explained the concept of heteroskedasticity.
The session was then proceeded by Prof. Nalin Bharti. He began with the concept of different types of Tariff data. To ease the explanation, he took certain data sets from the Government of India websites on trade and statistics, comparing different commodities exported and imported. This was continued forward to the concept of Data Analysis of Import Export using SMART Model. It started with the explanation of WITTS Global Tariff Cuts and Trade Simulator and the modules under it, along with explaining the modules individually to show their applicability with examples for ease of understanding. The tariffs were also explained with the help of an interactive video which was a simulation tutorial, the data set from the simulation was imported into Excel for further analysis.
The session was then taken over by Prof. Gummadi Sridevi who presented on the topic, Ethics in Research. She started by emphasizing the fact that ethics in data collection is important to mitigate any bias that may arise, and be inclusive to all the groups concerned over the field of research. Primary data is more of an observatory phenomenon rather than being entirely subjective, showing the importance of being careful while collecting data to remove any sort of unwanted and unethical process. She then discussed the various field research methods. She proceeded to talk about the development of the topic of ethics in data and research, the involvement of various institutes and organizations, and her personal experiences in the particular field, combined with examples for better understanding.
Various experiments related to the study of ethics in the research were also taken into the discussion to portray results and impute their significance in modern research and data collection, focussing on proper information dispatch. The importance of the context of research is also a grey area when we talk about ethics, defining the roles of concerned parties, and the purpose to remove any sort of discrepancy and bias. There should be significant clarity of the personnel and institution involved in the field of particular research, the responsibilities of a researcher, and the proof of data sets. A suitable example to explain the concept of ethics was explained, taking into account a study conducted in a distant village in the country.
---
Acknowledgement: Aaswash Mahanta, Soham Biswas and Tripta Behara, research interns at IMPRI

Comments

TRENDING

Eight years of empowering tribal communities through water initiatives in Chhattisgarh

By Gazala Paul*   In the heart of Chhattisgarh, amidst the echoes of tribal life, a transformative journey has unfolded over the past eight years. The Samerth organization has diligently worked to elevate the lives of indigenous communities in the Kawardha district through the project, "Enabling Baiga Community to access safe drinking water." 

Towards 2024: Time for ‘We the People of India’ to wake up before it is too late

By Fr Cedric Prakash SJ*  It is Constitution Day once again! We, the people of India, gratefully remember 26 November 1949 when the Constitution of India was passed and adopted by the Constituent Assembly. The Constituent Assembly comprised women and men of distinction, who were able to represent the heart and soul of the people of India without fear or favour. They gave of their best, so that we may a visionary Constitution, which would be the mainstay for and of democracy in India!

Regretful: Kapil Dev retired not leaving Indian cricket with integrity he upheld

By Harsh Thakor  Kapil Dev scaled heights as an entertainer and a player upholding the spirit of the game almost unparalleled in his era. In his time he was cricket’s ultimate mascot of sportsmanship On his day Kapil could dazzle in all departments to turn the tempo of game in the manner of a Tsunami breaking in. He radiated r energy, at a level rarely scaled in his era on a cricket field. Few ever blended aggression with artistry so comprehenisively. Although fast medium, he could be as daunting with the ball as the very best, with his crafty outswinger, offcutter, slower ball and ball that kicked from a good length. Inspite of bowling on docile tracks on the subcontinent, Kapil had 434 scalps, with virtually no assistance. I can never forget how he obtained pace and movement on flat pancakes, trapping the great Vivian Richards in Front or getting Geoff Boycott or Zaheer Abbas caught behind. No paceman carried the workload of his team’s bowling attack on his shoulders in his eras muc

Critical factors that determine, contribute to the success and effectiveness of NGOs

By Rohit Rakshit  Over the last few years, I have been fortunate to work with numerous non-governmental organizations (NGOs) across various states in the country. This experience has allowed me to gain insights into their diverse areas of work while also enabling me to analyze the key attributes that contribute to the success of a good NGO. According to my observations, the following are the critical factors that determine the effectiveness of an NGO.

How the slogan Jai Bhim gained momentum as movement of popularity and revolution

By Dr Kapilendra Das*  India is an incomprehensible plural country loaded with diversities of religions, castes, cultures, languages, dialects, tribes, societies, costumes, etc. The Indians have good manners/etiquette (decent social conduct, gesture, courtesy, politeness) that build healthy relationships and take them ahead to life. In many parts of India, in many situations, and on formal occasions, it is common for people of India to express and exchange respect, greetings, and salutation for which we people usually use words and phrases like- Namaskar, Namaste, Pranam, Ram Ram, Jai Ram ji, Jai Sriram, Good morning, shubha sakal, Radhe Radhe, Jai Bajarangabali, Jai Gopal, Jai Jai, Supravat, Good night, Shuvaratri, Jai Bhole, Salaam walekam, Walekam salaam, Radhaswami, Namo Buddhaya, Jai Bhim, Hello, and so on.

Martin Crowe played instrumental role in making New Zealand a force in world cricket

By Harsh Thakor* Late Martin Crowe was the perfect manifestation of how mere figures could not convey or do justice to the true merit of a batsman. Crowe was arguably the most complete  or majestic batsmen of his era or the ultimate embodiment of batting perfection, or the classical batsmen. He perished 7 years ago, due to a rare and aggressive form of cancer, follicular lymphoma, which originated in 2012. In September, we celebrated his 60th birthday but sadly he left for his heavenly abode.

Raising temperature of frozen foods by 3 degrees from -18°C to -15°C can slash carbon emissions: Study

By Payel Sannigrahi  Frozen food temperatures could be changed by just three degrees to save the carbon dioxide emissions of 3.8 million cars per year, research suggests. 

Odisha leadership crisis deepens: CM engages retired babus to oversee depts' work

By Sudhansu R Das  Over decades, Odisha has lost much of its crop diversity, fertile agriculture land, water bodies, employment potential, handicraft and handloom skills etc. The state has failed to strike a balance between the urban and rural sector growth; this leads to the migration of villagers to the urban areas leading to collapse of the urban infrastructures and an acute labor shortage in rural areas.  A large number of educated, skilled and unskilled Odia people have migrated to other states for higher education, quality jobs and for earning livelihood which plummet the efficiency level of government departments. Utmost transparency in the recruitment and promotion in the state government departments will improve governance mechanisms in the state.  "No near and dear one approach" in governance mechanisms can only achieve inclusive growth for the state on payment basis. This is a moral hazard. When so many educated young people seek employment outside the

1982-83 Bombay textile strike played major role in shaping working class movement

By Harsh Thakor  On January 18th, 1982 the working class movement commemorated the 40th anniversary of the Textile Workers Strike that lasted for 18 months, till July 1983. It was landmark event that played a major role in shaping the working class movement. With more than 2.5 lakh workers from 65 textile mills joining in this strike for almost two years, this strike became one of the most significant strikes in terms of scale and duration All democrats should applaud the mill workers’ united battle, and their unflinching resilience an death defying courage continues to serve as a model for contemporary working-class movements. Many middle class persons harboured opinions that the Textile workers were pampered or were a labour aristocracy, ignorant of how they were denied wages to provide for basic necessities. The Great Bombay Textile Strike is notably one of the most defining movements in the working class struggles in Post-independent India. Bombay’s textile industry flourished in

Ceasefire a tactical victory for Palestinian resistance, protests intensify across globe

By Harsh Thakor*  The Zionist leadership and Netanyahu’s government were compelled to concede the defeat of their first attempt after almost 50 days of daily fighting in the Gaza Strip.  Netanyahu was forced to concede that he was unsuccessful in suppressing the Palestinian Resistance; and that the release of the prisoners was only plausible because they accepted Hamas’ terms.