Social Science Statistics

1. A Word Processing Program to type up your final report (e.g., Microsoft Word).
2. The data analysis program SPSS. For more information, read the following page: SPSS Resources
3. DATA FILE from the class survey: STA2122_Global_Survey_FA2017_Proj2.sav (right click and save the file)
   1. This is a data file that you need to open in SPSS. 
4. The data codebook: STA2122 CODEBOOK FA2017.pdf (right click and save the file)
   1. This codebook contains all of the possible variables you may use in your analysis.
5. Lessons for reference (i.e., readings, videos, and memos from Chapters 1 – 4)
6. Step-by-step instructions for how to use SPSS: SPSS Descriptives and Visualizations.pdf (right click and save the file)
7. REVIEW MY PROJECT 2 EXAMPLE: Project 2 Example
8. The RUBRIC (listed below)

———- PROJECT PREPARATIONS ———-

• Your project will take the form of an well-organized report.
• You will need to use SPSS to analyze the DATA FILE named, STA2122_Global_Survey_FA2017_Proj2.sav
• To open this data, please review the SPSS Resources. 
• For this project, you will need to review the CODEBOOK and select the following from the survey data:

1. 1. 1 variable measured at the nominal level
   2. 1 variable measured at the ordinal level
   3. 1 variable measured at the interval-ratio level variable
      1. NOTE: Do not select the ‘RESP_id’ variable 

———-PROJECT REQUIREMENTS———-

FREQUENCY DISTRIBUTION TABLES 

Report the frequency statistics for each of your variables — in table form — for a total of three different tables. You may copy & paste the SPSS table or construct your own in Excel. Each table should contain the following:

1. A title (e.g., “Table 1: Nominal Variable – Favorite Political Candidate, N=50”)
2. A column for each category or class interval reported
3. A column with the frequency of each category/class interval
4. A column with the percentage of each frequency with respect to the total number of cases
5. A column with the cumulative percentage of each frequency with respect to the total number of cases (If the variable’s level of measurement is not typically displayed in a frequency distribution, class-intervals must be used appropriately.
   1. If you report class-intervals, make sure your class-intervals are evenly spaced. That is, if you are using a variable called, “Current GPA” and you decide to use a class-interval rather than reporting each individual score (that’d be pretty unwieldy!), do not break your categories up as: 0.0 – 0.5, 0.6 – 1.4, etc. Instead, do 0.0-0.9; 1.0 – 1.9, etc. (refer back to Chapter 2/Week 3 Memo if you need a refresher).

How do I get SPSS to show me frequencies?

For information regarding the frequency of a particular variable, select: Analyze > Descriptive Statistics > Frequencies

1. Select your variable(s) of choice (USE THE CODEBOOK TO HELP YOU DECIDE)
2. Select OK 
3. Review visual instructions here: SPSS Descriptives and Visualizations.pdf

DATA VISUALIZATION

Create a graphical presentation for each of your variables – for a total of three charts/graphs. You may copy & paste the SPSS output. Each figure should contain the following:

1. A title (e.g., “Figure 1: Nominal Variable – Favorite Political Candidate, N=50”)
2. The appropriate graphic for each of your variables depending on their level of measurement (refer back to Chapter 2/Week 3 Memo if you need a refresher).

How do I get SPSS to display graphs and charts?

1. For information regarding the frequency of a particular variable, select: Analyze > Descriptive Statistics > Frequencies
2. Select your variable(s) of choice (USE THE CODEBOOK)
3. Select “Charts” and then select the appropriate chart or graph
4. Select “OK”
5. Review visual instructions here: SPSS Descriptives and Visualizations.pdf

MEASURES OF CENTRAL TENDENCY 

Select and report the best measure of central tendency for each of your three variables. The selected measure of central tendency should be the most precise or optimal for each variable based on level of measurement. If you report all three measures of central tendency, you will receive zero points. Refer back to Chapter 3/Week 4 Memo if you need a refresher.

How do I obtain measures of central tendency from SPSS?

1. For information regarding the central tendency of a particular variable, select: Analyze > Descriptive Statistics > Frequencies
2. Select your variable(s) of choice (USE THE CODEBOOK)
3. Select “Statistics” and choose the applicable measures of central tendency.
4. Select OK
5. Review visual instructions here: SPSS Descriptives and Visualizations.pdf

VARIABILITY

Select and report the most appropriate measure of variability for each of your three variables, if applicable. The selected measure of variability should be the most precise measure you can use for your particular variable. If a measure of variability is not appropriate for your variable, you must clearly explain why. If you report all measures of variability, you will receive zero points. Refer back to Chapter 4/Week 5 Memo if you need a refresher.

How do I obtain measures of variability from SPSS?

1. For information regarding the frequency of a particular variable, select: Analyze > Descriptive Statistics > Frequencies
2. Select your variable(s) of choice (USE THE CODEBOOK)
3. Select “Statistics” and choose all applicable measures of variability (i.e., IQR, range, variance, standard deviation).
   1. HINT: you will need to select “quartiles” to calculate the IQR
4. Select OK
5. Review visual instructions here: SPSS Descriptives and Visualizations.pdf

RESULTS/REFLECTION

 For each variable, you will need to compose a paragraph of interpretation. Specifically, you need to compose five-to-seven sentences discussing and reflecting on each variable’s their frequencies, measures of central tendency, and variability. Think about the following when you compose your reflections: What did you learn about your data by calculating frequencies, measures of central tendency and variability? What do the measures of central tendency tell you about your data? Measures of variability? What do these measures say about the population of this class, the U.S., and other countries (HINT: I list which countries we may compare our data in the codebook)? What other variables in the codebook might these variables be related to? This portion will demonstrate your statistical literacy – you can compute statistics – now tell me what these statistics indicate about each of your variables.

HINT: Your sample is taken from Fall 2017 online and in-person statistics students at USF — why is this important to remember? Include that in your discussion!

———–FORMATTING ———–

Your report should be formatted in the following way (check out my example for a model):

PART ONE: Nominal Variable

1. Frequency table for the nominal variable (5 points)
2. Graph/chart (5 points)
3. Measure of central tendency (5 points)
4. Measure of variability (5 points)
5. Results/Reflection (10 points)

PART TWO: Ordinal Variable

1. Frequency Table for the ordinal variable (5 points)
2. Graph/chart (5 points)
3. Measure of central tendency (5 points)
4. Measure of variability (5 points)
5. Results/Reflection (10 points)

PART THREE: Interval/Ratio Variable

1. Frequency table for the interval/ratio variable (5 points)
2. Graph/chart (5 points)
3. Measure of central tendency (5 points)
4. Measure of variability (5 points)
5. Results/Reflection (10 points)