• Analyzing online programsadress bar image by Wiktor Osiecki from Fotolia.com
  
  Qualitative analysis concerns the content of a subject and has subjective and ethical components. This should be distinguished from quantitative analysis, which deals generally with numbers and statistics. In terms of analyzing online programs, qualitative analysis deals with function and purpose. It is meant to be less "scientific" than a quantitative analysis, and, in terms of analyzing programs, deals primarily with deciding how close the actual functioning of an online program comes to its stated purpose. Consider factors such as availability of faculty, expense and institutional prestige.
  
  

Validity

• The key to content analysis of online programs lies in your ability to collect and analyze data. To assess the validity of online programs, you must take the data and turn it into a set of conclusions that show your goals and the ability of the institution to provide the appropriate level of education for you to meet your goals. Make a list of your goals in order of importance. Then see to what extent the components of the program line up with your goals. The program that fits the best is most "valid" for you: your best choice.
  
  

Reliability

• Reliability remains a problem, since online information about programs is always tailored to highlighting the best aspects about online learning. It is an excellent idea to check out forums by and for students (and these are normally plentiful) to see the "insider's" point of view on the problems and benefits of the program you are considering.
  
  

Costs and Benefits

• Factoring costs and benefits does not mean statistics and other such formal information, but the real, day-to-day life of an online student relative to the program and faculty. No program is perfect, but you can do a rough cost-benefit analysis to help you weigh the pros and cons of an online program. For example, an online criminology program might have excellent prestige but few professors of any note. For another example, an online international relations program might have excellent student feedback, but might be obscure and not conducive to the job market. Weigh all of these factors relative to your interests and priorities. The best way to do this is to make a list of pros in one column on a piece of paper, and a list of cons in another column. Compare them as you work toward making a decision.