3.3 Analysing survey data Your surveys will have resulted in both qualitative data (descriptive information, usually represented by words) and quantitative data (recorded using numbers). The numbers of surveys to analyse will depend on the size of your NHRI and your rate of return (Fig 21). If you have used software for your survey—such as Survey Monkey or Google Forms—it can do much of the collation for you, particularly of quantitative data. The main steps for analysing quantitative data are listed below in Fig 28: cleaning the data, making calculations, identifying trends and making conclusions. You will find more information about this in How do I use data? A guide for National Human Rights Institutions15. Figure 28: Main steps for analysing your survey data Step 1 Review the data Step 2 Step 3 Step 4 Make calculations Draw themes Make from quantitative from qualitative conclusions data data Step 1: Review and clean the data Look over the data you have collected to: • refamiliarise yourself with it, and • make sure it is referenced correctly including its source, when it was gathered and the context of when it was gathered. ‘Clean’ the data by finding and removing any inconsistencies so the conclusions drawn are reliable. Example A survey form has not been filled out properly and may distort your results. If this is the case, take it out of the surveys for analysis. 15 Regional Rights Resource Team, Pacific Community (2020). 77