Facilitating Student Projects in Statistics

1. Facilitating Student Projects in Statistics CAUSE Teaching and Learning Webinar December 14, 2010 Dianna Spence and Brad Bailey North Georgia College & State University This work supported by grants NSF DUE-0633264 and NSF DUE-1021584

2. Agenda Introduction and rationale Scope and types of projects Collecting real-world data Crafting meaningful research questions Sample student projects Statistical research focal points Evaluating student work Questions and discussion

3. Introduction and Rationale • Projects involving • Student-initiated inquiry • Student collection and organization of data • Student analysis and interpretation of data • Student reporting and presenting of results • Such projects are • …consistently recommended in the literature • …often not implemented as part of instruction

4. Scope of Projects Student tasks during project • Identify research constructs • Define suitable variables, including how they can be quantified and measured • Design research question • Submit research proposal and obtain approval • Collect data • Design unbiased data collection method • Address sampling issues • Analyze and interpret data • Write a report on methods and results • Present research and findings to class

5. Types of Projects • Linear regression Key analysis tasks • Find and interpret • Scatter plot • r • Prediction equation • Slope in equation • R2 • t-Tests • Designs • 1-sample • 2 dependent samples • 2 independent samples • Key analysis asks • Select appropriate design • Identify hypotheses H0/Ha • Find and interpret • t statistic • p-value

6. Collecting Data: 3 Categories • Administer surveys • Primary focus of Phase I materials • Makes survey design an element of the project • Find data on the Internet • Physically go out and record data • e.g., measure items, time eventswith a stopwatch, look at prices, look at nutrition labels

7. Internet Data SourcesI. Government/Community • Census Bureau: http://www.census.gov/ • Bureau of Justice Statistics: http://bjs.ojp.usdoj.gov/index.cfm?ty=daa • City Data Site: http://www.city-data.com/ • State and county statistics sites • State and national Dept.’s of Education • County tax assessment records

8. Internet Data SourcesII. Restaurants: Nutrition Info • Applebees: http://www.applebees.com/downloads/nutritional_info.html • Arby’s: http://www.arbys.com/nutrition/Arbys_Nutrition_Website.pdf • Burger King: http://www.bk.com/cms/en/us/cms_out/digital_assets/files/pages/NutritionInformation.pdf • McDonalds: http://nutrition.mcdonalds.com/nutritionexchange/nutritionfacts.pdf • Ruby Tuesday’s: http://www.rubytuesday.com/assets/menu/pdf/informational/nutrition.pdf • Student’s favorite place to eat?

9. Internet Data SourcesIII. Sports Data • Sports Statistics Data Resources (Gateway) http://www.amstat.org/sections/SIS/Sports Data Resources/ • NFL Historical Stats: http://www.nfl.com/history • Individual team sites

10. Internet Data SourcesIV. Retail/Consumer (General) • Cost/Prices • e.g., Kelley Blue Book: http://www.kbb.com/ • Consumer Report ratings .http://www.consumerreports.org/cro/index.htm • Product Specifications • e.g., size measurements,time/speed measurements,MPG for cars

11. Meaningful Research Questions • Show students resources for collecting data • Show students sample projects • Critique and improve on former student projects • Brainstorm with students about their interests • Offer points for originality

12. Sample Student Projects • Matched Pairs t-Test: • 2-tailed: Ha predicting that on average, students’ rating of Coke and Pepsi would be different. • t statistic =2.62 • P value= 0.0116 (2-tailed) • Conclusion: Evidence that on average, students rated the two drinks differently (Coke was rated higher) Participant Coke Pepsi #1 8 9 #2 7 5 . . .

13. Sample Student Projects • t-Test for 2 independent samples: • 1-tailed: Ha predicting that on average fruit drinks have higher sugar content per ounce than fruit juices • t statistic = -0.14 • P value= 0.5555 • Conclusion: Sample data did not support Ha. No evidence that on average,fruit drinks have more sugar than fruit juices.

14. Sample Student Projects • t-Test for 2 independent samples: • 1-tailed: Ha predicting that in local state parks, oak trees have greater circumference than pine trees on average • t statistic = 4.78 • P value= 7.91 x 10 –6 • Conclusion: Strong evidence that in local state parks oak trees are bigger than pine trees on average. • Lurking variable identifiedand discussed: age of trees (and possible reasons that oak trees were older)

15. Sample Student Projects

16. Sample Student Projects

17. Focal Points for Student Research • Selecting appropriate variables • Categorical or quantitative? • Defined construct? • How measured and quantified? • Appropriateness of data analysis method for proposed data and research question • Data collection techniques • Potential survey design issues • Sampling strategies • Interpretation of results in context

18. Project Phases/Deliverables • Getting started • Form groups • Define project scope • Brainstorm • Project proposal(s) • Definition of variables, research question • Proposed data collection and sampling methods • Survey and IRB if applicable • Data collection • Data analysis • Project report • Presentation

19. Assessment • Weight of Projects • Scoring Rubrics • Advantages • Consistency • Manageability • Communicate expectations • Encompass All Project Components • Grade milestones along the way • Resources for Rubrics • Team Member Grades • Accountability of Individual Members • Shared Team Grade • Individual Contribution

20. Resources • NSF Grant Project Web Pagehttp://radar.northgeorgia.edu/~djspence/NSF/index.html • Links to curriculum materials • Overview of both grants and progress updates • Contact Information • Brad Bailey bbailey@northgeorgia.edu • Dianna Spence djspence@northgeorgia.edu