Data Management and Manipulation
Unit of Analysis
Before a merge, model, or table, state what one row represents and what the analysis is meant to compare.
Page 1 of 7 · Big Picture
The big picture: Unit of Analysis
What does one row represent, and what should the analysis compare?
Why a policy analyst should care
If the analysis treats visits, people, hospitals, or states as interchangeable units, its counts, standard errors, and conclusions can all answer the wrong question.
Follow the idea from the opening question to a practical decision. These are the conceptual moves this module will develop:
1 Question What does one row represent?
2 Explore People, visits, hospitals, and months differ
3 Formalize Unit of analysis defines the comparison
4 Transfer Choose the analytical unit
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