Homework Instructions

It is not necessary to use SPSS for any part of this homework– but if you choose to do so, you are more than welcome for selected questions in Part 2 and will not need to show calculations if you do use SPSS. Just make sure you set up the data file correctly!

If you need more paper for your answers, please attach paper to this assignment.

Part 1:

1. Briefly explain what is expected to occur if you took an infinite number of samples of equal size from a specified population, calculated the means for each of these samples, and displayed the means in a distribution.
2. In your own words, provide one example of how a concept we discussed in descriptive statistics is used in inferential statistics.
3. List three properties of the sampling distribution of sample means:

1. _______
2. ______________
3. _____________

4. Select one type of sampling method and describe how a researcher could use this sampling method in a study. (Note: you do not need to look for or cite an actual study. But if you choose to do so, then remember to appropriately cite the source).

5. Explain at least one condition that is needed to obtain (theoretically) a normal sampling distribution of the means from a non-normal population.

6. Cite two events that will affect the width of a confidence interval. Briefly explain each of these two events.

7 a. A researcher randomly selected 150 PA’s in Tennessee and conducted a study about their length of employment in a hospital setting. The researcher found the average length of employment in a hospital for the sample was 36 months with a standard deviation of 6 months. What is the estimate for the average length of hospital employment (in months) for all PAs in Tennessee, using a confidence level of 95 percent? Please include your calculations.

1. A 95 percent confidence level is the same as an alpha level of _____.
2. A 90 percent confidence level is the same as an alpha level of ____.

PART 2: Answer each question using the 5 step hypotheses testing framework outlined in our main text. George Argyrous , Statistics for Resarch . 1. State the null and alternative hypothesis, 2. Choose the test of significance, 3. describe the sample and derive the p-value, 4. Decide what alpha level, if any, the result is statistically significant. Step 5. report results.. You may or use additional paper for your answers and then staple the papers to gether . Please write legibly!

Remember to explain your rationale for selecting the test you choose (step two in the hypotheses testing framework). You are also ‘in charge’ as the researcher – which means you decide between one-tail or two-tail test. Alpha should be .05.

(Note: Data sets are smaller than what occurs in reality to keep calculations manageable. The emphasis is on appropriate test selection and decision regarding the null hypothesis. We are assuming that an IRB committee reviewed all the following "studies".)

1. Fifteen school-aged children in a rural elementary school were recruited, through random sampling, to participate in a health education intervention designed to improve physical activity. Scores (interval/ratio level) to measure physical activity were obtained before and after the intervention. Is there a significant difference in scores after completing the health education intervention?

1. A hospital safety committee at a large medical center is wondering if an education program for the nurses, titled Patient Prevention , has decreased medication errors. They consult with the in-house researcher. The researcher randomly selects 350 incident reports and reviews the reports for medication errors. S/he finds a total of 75 incidents had medication errors. Does this imply that the program may have contributed to a change in the incidence of medication errors? The incidence of medication errors is known to be 15 percent in the population of large medical centers in the US.

(Careful – note how the medication errors are reported in this problem and what you need in the formula….)

3. A researcher is studying hospital-acquired infections between two hospitals. Patients are randomly selected from the two hospitals and charts reviewed for evidence of infection. Is there a significant difference in the average number of hospital-acquired infections between the two hospitals?

4. A hospital is interested if there is a gender difference in the participation of a "Healthy Heart" program. A sample of patients who were discharged from the cardiac unit was selected and participants asked if they returned to the hospital for the classes. The following bivariate table presents the data. Is there a gender difference?

1. An employer is interested if flu is evenly distributed across the year. A total of 80 absences was reported for the year due to flu. The following table presents the number of flu absences by season. Are the episodes of flu evenly distributed across the four seasons?

Price: $31.82

Solution: The downloadable solution consists of 15 pages, 1682 words.
Deliverable: Word Document