Efficient Methods of Communicating Data

As a commuting student, there have been days that I wished the lecture was online so I would not have to commute for a short class.

I used the data provided from the 2025 Megapoll to find out if there is a significant number of students who feel this way. Since being unmotivated to go to class is a common feeling among students, I was curious if commuting had a direct link.

Methods of Analysing and Sharing Data

The best way to clearly compare different sets of data is to use the pivot tables in Google Spreadsheets. When the information provided can be confusing to decipher, switch what row and value to add first. You can also put them in different tabs and then use the pivot tables when you have a better grasp on the data. That way it will be easier to tell the numbers apart.

When it is time to share the data on your website, it is important to re-check the accuracy of the numbers and the accessibility of the document. If you do not have access to Adobe Illustrator, you can always use Google Sheets to create a graph or a table. Although I strongly recommend using Adobe Illustrator or ArtBoard Studio. Using Google Sheets limits the ability to alter the design. Part of creating accessible information is ensuring any visuals have a description. Always remember to add descriptive alt text.

Collecting More Information

Speaking to TMU students who switched types of learning (from in person to hybrid, in person to online, etc) may provide better insight. Commuting students could also speak on how long distance travel can impact their attendance or time management. There could be financial challenges that would discourage students to attend in person classes.

Interviewing students would provide a much more in depth understanding of the data trends. It would lead to a stronger conclusion rather than only relying on numbers.

Possible Margin Errors

It is important to note that there are about 700 responses for the year 2025 and over 1000 for 2024. Although the data shows clear trends, it may not lead to definitive conclusions.

Overall...

The research project can benefit journalism students by helping them understand some of the student body they write for. Journalism students should also become familiar with analyzing large amounts of data and how to sort it so they can advance in their reporting.

Original article here.