Sociology 5811: Intermediate Social Statistics

Fall 2002

Lecture: 11:15am - 12:30pm Tuesday and Thursday, BlegH 125

Lab 1:25pm - 3:20pm Monday, Blegen 440

Web Page: http://www.soc.umn.edu/~schofer/2002soc5811/home5811.htm

Instructor: Evan Schofer

Email: schof007@tc.umn.edu

Phone: (612) 624-4075

Office: 1127 Social Sciences

Office Hours: Tues/Thurs 1-2:15 and by appt.

TA: Sarah Flood

Email: sarahmflood@hotmail.com

Office: 978 Social Sciences

Office Hours: TBA

Office Phone: (612) 624-7326

Introduction

This course covers the basic principles of statistics necessary to conduct social science research. These include basic descriptive and inferential statistics, with emphasis on commonly used methods such as crosstabs, and OLS regression. In addition, the course laboratory provides instruction in the use of a statistical software package SPSS.

Readings

Most readings will be from one of the assigned texts. Additionally, you will receive handouts and other small reading assignments on occasion. Complete reading assignments prior to the class in which material will be covered. You will get much more out of lectures and labs if you have already finished the readings. We will be using Knoke, Bohrnstedt, and Mee’s Statistics for Social Data Analysis (4th edition) as our primary statistics textbook. (It never hurts to have another text on hand to consult if you are having difficulty understanding certain concepts. Contact me if you need recommendations.) In addition, I have assigned a text to assist you in using the software package SPSS. The SPSS Guide to Data Analysis describes the PC (Windows) version of SPSS 11.0. It also discusses statistical concepts, which may aid you in understanding course material.

Assignments and Evaluation

Problem Assignments. Math problems will be assigned regularly. (20% of final grade)

Computer Tasks. There will be a number of exercises involving computer data analysis and the interpretation of results. (20% of final grade)

Mid-term Exam. There will be one mid-term exam. (30% of final grade)

Final Paper. There will be a final course project, in which you perform statistical analyses on data of your own choosing and write up the results. (30% of final grade)

Papers received late will be marked down one partial grade (i.e., and A becomes an A-, C+ becomes a C) per day past the due date. Extensions will be granted for legitimate reasons if requested in advance – before the due date. Missed exams cannot be re-taken unless arrangements are made in advance, except in unusual circumstances (e.g., medical issues).

Your final grade will be computed based on the percentage weightings indicated. In the event of a borderline grade, I may use my discretion in adjusting grades based on course participation and effort (or lack thereof). Incompletes will not be given, except in unusual circumstances.

General Information

Check the course web site periodically. Urgent notices may be posted on the web site (e.g., if an assignment due date were to be extended). Also, the course web page will contain important information: copies of course handouts and assignments, data relevant to course assignments, etc.

Schedule & Reading Assignments

Week 1: Introduction / Data (Sept. 3, 5)

Bohrnstedt and Knoke, Chapter 1

Norusis, SPSS 11.0, Chapter 1, 2, 3 (skim)

Week 2: Univariate Graphs and Descriptive Statistics (Sept 10, 12)

Lab: Introduction to SPSS, Datasets, Reading in Data

Bohrnstedt and Knoke, Chapter 2: 2.1-2.4

Norusis, SPSS 11.0, Chapter 4, 5

Week 3: Descriptive Statistics (cont'd) (Sept. 17, 19)

Lab: Frequencies and Descriptive Statistics

Bohrnstedt and Knoke, Chapter 2: 2.5-end

Norusis, SPSS 11.0, Chapter 6, 7

Week 4: Sampling, Probability, Statistical Inference (Sept. 24, 26)

Lab: Frequencies and Descriptive Statistics (cont'd)

Bohrnstedt and Knoke, Chapter 3: 3.1-3.5

Norusis, SPSS 11.0, Chapter 10, 11

Week 5: Sampling, Probability, Statistical Inference (Oct 1, 3)

Lab: Probability Distributions

Bohrnstedt and Knoke, Chapter 3: 3.6-end

Norusis, SPSS 11.0, Chapter 12

Week 6: Sampling, Probability, Statistical Inference (Oct. 8, 10)

Lab: Standard Error and T-tests

Norusis, SPSS 11.0, Start on Chapter 13, 14

Week 7: T-Tests & ANOVA (Oct. 15, 17)

Lab: T-Test & ANOVA

Bohrnstedt and Knoke, Chapter 4: 4.1 and 4.3

Norusis, SPSS 11.0, Chapter 13, 14, 15

October 17: Class Cancelled.

Week 8: ANOVA (Oct. 22, 24)

Lab: ANOVA

Bohrnstedt and Knoke, Chapter 4: 4.2, 4.4-end

Week 9: Midterm Exam, Begin Crosstabs (Oct 29, Oct 31)

November 1: Midterm Exam

Lab: Data Sources for Final Paper

Week 10: Crosstabs (Nov. 5, 7)

Lab: Crosstabs

Bohrnstedt and Knoke, Chapter 5: all

Norusis, SPSS 11.0, Chapter 8, 17

Week 11: Crosstabs, Begin Correlation and Regression (Nov. 12, 14)

Lab: Tests of Independence and Measures of Association

Norusis, SPSS 11.0, Chapter 19

Week 12: Correlation and Regression (Nov 19, 21)

Lab: Scatterplots

Bohrnstedt and Knoke, Chapter 6: 6.1-6.3

Norusis, SPSS 11.0, Chapter 9, Start Chapter 20

Week 13: Correlation and Regression (Nov. 26)

Lab: Correlation and Regression

Bohrnstedt and Knoke, Chapter 6: 6.4-end

Norusis, SPSS 11.0, Chapter 20, 21

November 28: Thanksgiving. No Class.

Week 14: Multivariate Regression (Dec.3, 5)

Lab: Correlation and Regression (cont'd)

Bohrnstedt and Knoke, Chapter 8: 8.1-8.3

Norusis, SPSS 11.0, Chapter 22, 23

Week 15: Multivariate Regression (Dec. 10, 12)

Lab: Regression

Norusis, SPSS 11.0, Chapter 24