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SP 225 Lecture 4. Introduction to Data and Levels of Measurement. Manipulating Data Sheets. GENERAL Social Survey and SPSS. How Do We Collect Data to Test Hypothesis?. Natural Sciences Physical Measurements Observations Social Sciences Survey Data Community Observations Interviews.
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SP 225Lecture 4 Introduction to Data and Levels of Measurement
Manipulating Data Sheets GENERAL Social Survey and SPSS
How Do We Collect Data to Test Hypothesis? • Natural Sciences • Physical Measurements • Observations • Social Sciences • Survey Data • Community Observations • Interviews
Preparing Data For Analysis • Enter data from survey to spreadsheet • Adopt a common meaning for spreadsheet entries • Called a ‘code’ • Used to standardize entries • Protect against data entry errors
Survey Data • Standardizing and interpreting responses • Managing missing or erroneous responses
Designing Better Surveys • Remove opportunities for question misinterpretation • Change survey administration method
General Social Survey • Began in 1972 • Began as an annual study • Currently conducted on even years • Administered by the University of Chicago National Opinion Research Center • Funded by the National Institute of Science and Foundations
Usage • Over 12,000 research uses • 250,000 students use the data annually
Study Design • Block Design • Cluster Design • Methodology has been varied to understand any impact methodology has on study results • We can analyze it as a random sample
Study Questions • Some questions asked every year • Other mini-studies administered each year
Topics by Year • Extending Scales on Race, Abortion, and Feminism. (1977) • Attitudes on the Military and Military Recruitment. (1982) • Social Networks. (1985) • Sociopolitical Participation. (1987) • Religion. (1988) • Intergroup Relations. (1990) • Work Organizations. (1991) • Culture. (1993) • Family Mobility and Multiculturalism. (1994) • Mental Health, Emotions, Gender, Markets and Giving and Volunteering (1996) • Job Experiences, Mental Health, Medical Care, Medical Ethics, Culture, Religion/Religion and Health. (1998)
Guide to GSS Contents • http://webapp.icpsr.umich.edu/GSS/index.html
Manipulating Data in SPSS • Opening data sheets • Viewing and reading data • Creating an SPSS data sheet
Levels of Measurement All data can be classified into one of four categories • Nominal • Ordinal • Interval • Ratio
Implication of the Level of Measurement • Analysis • Mathematical Calculations of the Data Each level of measurement represents an increasing degree of complexity in the data
Levels of Measurement • Nominal: data consisting of names and labels (i.e.. Color) • Ordinal: data can be arranged in order but differences between data values are meaningless (i.e.. Rating systems) • Interval: data that can be arranged in order with meaningful differences between data points but no natural zero. (i.e.. Years) • Ratio: data that has the properties of interval data with a natural zero (i.e.. Weight)
Name the Level of Measurement • Consumer reports magazine ratings of “best buy”, “recommended” and “not recommended” • Number of yes responses when 500 students are asked if they have ever engaged in binge drinking • Temperature in New York
M&M Example • What characteristics of a bag of M&M’s are nominal, ordinal or interval/ratio in measurement?
Levels of Measurement in Data Collection • Identifying levels of measurement from a survey question • Changing the level of measurement • Identifying levels of measurement from a described research project