Community Analysis

Overview

Community analysis is a set of analytical techniques that help you classify either places or things (such as species) into groups. There are data characteristics that strongly indicate that community analysis techniques are appropriate.

This skill is very useful, but interestingly, not known by too many people. This skill requires about the same level of data handling and manipulation as statistical analysis, but is outside the traditional scope of statistics.

A Simple Introduction to Community Analysis

Community Analysis Software

P.A.S.T (PAlaeontology STatistics)

This software runs under Windows and can be obtained (free) from http://folk.uio.no/ohammer/past/

The PAST package does the data analysis part of the process. You can enter data directly into PAST or import it from a simple text file or spreadsheet.

Skill and Behavioral Levels

Novice

• • Shows little awareness of the need to classify places or things.

  • Uses only simple, haphazard processes to group places or things.

  • Performs simple community analyses if provided with step-by-step instructions.

Advanced Beginner

• • Recognizes the general requirements for community analysis data.

  • Organizes data, inputs the data into community analysis software, and runs the analysis.

  • Produces competent, basic interpretations from the community analysis software.

Competent

• • Handles qualitative and quantitative community analysis data with confidence.

  • Recognizes the value in doing community analyses.

  • Displays classification data on maps.

  • Clearly understands the underlying procedures (e.g., similarity matrix, dendrogram display).

Proficient

• • Uses a variety of community analysis tools and moves data effortlessly between tool sets.

  • Fully integrates the community analysis process from the recognition of a problem through the display of the analysis products and interpretation of the problem.

  • Promotes the use of the entire suite of community analysis tools.

Expert

• • Understands the benefits and limitations of the models underlying community analysis tools.

  • Critically evaluates community analysis results in the context of the problem, data limitations and analytical methodology constraints.

  • Creates visualizations that are innovative and highly explanatory.

  • Develops new tools to complement the arsenal of community analysis software.