All entries for Friday 07 October 2005

Reading list analysis: The final few miles

The end is in sight! I've decided that as we approach our goal of 40% of lists analysed there are some depts whom I'm never going see enough lists from (despite repeated contacts with them). However, we should have a representative sample from them all – and certainly more than enough data to give us the sort of in depth analysis we want.

So two weeks today at the very latest we'll be shutting down the data gathering side of things and I'll be turning my attention to writing the analysis report(s). Should mean around the start of November we'll be able to have answers to questions such as:

• -which departments make the most/least reading references
• -which departments cost the most/least in book purchases
• -which are the most/least prescriptive about their reading
• -which are the most/least consistent depts in terms of how they break their reading up
• -and what are the "model" reading lists by dept & faculty

Of course these are going to be based on the samples I obtained, and no doubt there are always going to be reading lists widely outside of any model, but it will make for interesting reading. Or at least I hope!

And for those of you who love stats:
Faculty lists seen to date

• 44.31% Arts
• 45.80 Medical
• 51.31 Science
• 29.95 Soc.Science

(or 974 lists analysed in total – an estimated 154 remaining to target!)

: 07 Oct 2005 08:11 |  Tags: Project Results Reading Lists |  Comments (0) |  Close comments |  Report a problem