STATISTICS - PART II

Data Analysis

1. Introduction - The data analysis section of the Psychology 717 requires you to analyze the database included with this packet. The database was compiled by the Field Research Corporation in 1985 and contains survey questions that address public fear about the spread of AIDS, beliefs about the transmission of AIDS, attitudes toward homosexuals and other minority groups and demographic data. Detailed information that describes the database is attached.
   The goal of this assignment is to assess your ability to answer specific research questions utilizing statistical analysis and the computer program of your choice; however, the starting assumption is that you will use SPSS. The database (AIDS2.SAV) has been provided via separate e-mail attachment. This database can only be opened by the SPSS program.
2. How to Approach this Assignment?
   Approach this by placing yourself in the role of psychological researcher. You will be given a number of research questions that can be answered using the AIDS database. The problem you are addressing is how to answer the questions statistically. After you make this decision you must conduct the analysis and present the findings as if you were writing the "Results" section of an article in a psychological journal. This means that you must use APA format to present your tables and discuss the results as they bear on the questions you were originally asked. Different students may select different strategies to answer the research questions, just as different researchers might approach the questions differently. Thus, the most constructive approach is to justify your method of analysis and to write the results in a manner that displays the logic behind your approach. In other words, we are not necessarily expecting you to select the "only" correct answer.
3. The "Mechanics" of this Assignment.

We want you to have some familiarity with the data before you are actually given the questions. Thus, all students preparing for the exam may have copies of this section of the exam, including the data and related information, before taking the exam. This should eliminate problems created by hardware and software incompatibility. When you are ready to take the exam, let me know and I will e-mail you the questions.

After receiving the data, the first step is to get the data loaded on your computer and working with your software. The database has been limited to 417 cases. This is large enough to answer the research questions and small enough to fit on most computers.

After loading the data you should become familiar with the database and your software. Ask yourself some questions and see if you can answer them. The exam is totally open book and open notes, so get your APA manual and statistics materials ready in advance. Observe how results sections are written in quantitative articles, and examine some completed dissertations. Chapter 6 of Rudestam and Newton’s Surviving Your Dissertation will also be helpful.

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Solution: The downloadable solution consists of 23 pages, 700 words and 15 charts.
Deliverable: Word Document