- P-values and Alpha Levels probability
- Measures of Central Tendency mean, median and mode
- Inferential Statistics what does the sample tell us about the population it was drawn from?
- Levels of Measurement nominal, ordinal, interval, ratio
- t-test testing the difference between two groups
- Dummy variables using nominal, ordinal variables in regression analyses
METHODS
AND MEASUREMENTS
This page is now in a less primitive stage of development.
Updated 01/09/99
Chi-Square Factor Analysis Log Linear Analysis Online Help
Helpful Tools Online Data Transformations
Software Packages Links to my Other Pages
Some Basic Concepts in Meaurement
There are various
conceptual and measurement issues to consider before you embark on your
journey into research. Most of these issues come under the heading of Methodology.
What kind of research is necessary to answer your research question? Do
you want to look at a single point in time? Or do you want to look at change
over time? Would this be a change in general attitudes?
First we'll look
at the different types of statistical analysis as they relate to the temporal
factor.
Cross Sectional Study. In survey research, this is a study in which data are obtained at only one point in time. This contrasts with longitudinal studies in which a panel of the same individuals is interviewed repeatedly over a period of time. A cross sectional study can ask questions about previous periods of time.
Longitudinal Study. This is a type of study in which the same group of individuals is interviewed at intervals over a period of time. (See also: panel study.) Some cross sectional studies are done regularly (for instance, the General Social Survey and the Current Population Survey [Annual Demographic File] are conducted once a year), but different individuals are surveyed each time. Such a study is not a true longitudinal study. An example of a longitudinal study is the National Longitudinal Survey of Labor Market Experience.
Panel Study. This is a longitudinal study in which a panel of individuals is interviewed at intervals over a period of time. In general usage, the definitions of longitudinal study and panel study overlap. At least one author says that the term "panel study" is sometimes used for studies that are restricted to a short period of time or are limited to two or three interviews and "longitudinal study" is used for studies that last longer or include more interviews; but there are significant examples where this distinction is not accurate. In general, longitudinal studies involve panels of respondents and panel studies are longitudinal studies. Examples of panel studies include the Survey of Income and Program Participation (SIPP) and the Panel Study of Income and Dynamics (PSID).
Time Series. Observations of a variable are made over time. Many economic studies such as International Financial Statistics, and Citibase are time series datafiles. Time series, of a sort, can also be constructed from a cross sectional study if the same questions are asked more than once over time such as in the General Social Surveys. (See also longitudinal study.)
CHI-SQUARE
Chi-square tells us whether the relationship we observe between two nominal or ordinal variables is likely to be due to chance or sampling error. The concept underlying the chi-square statistic forms the basis of several other statistical measures. What chi-square looks at is the difference between the expected distribution of responses on two or more variables and the observed distribution of responses.[Top]DATA TRANSFORMATIONS
Data transformation refers to adjusting the data to better meet the assumptions of the statistical techniques you are going to employ. Most of these methods deal with high skewness and, consequently, high kurtosis. [Top]FACTOR ANALYSIS 11/03/97 I think it's complete now!! updated 08/04/98
Factor analysis is a statistical technique used to identify common components (or factors) underlying a set of items in survey data. I have used an analytical sample to explain this technique. [Top]LOG LINEAR ANALYSIS -- still in development
This is a multivariate statistical technique which allows us to incorporate ordinal or even nominal level variables in multivariate analysis. Log-linear analysis transforms non-linear models into essentially linear models through the use of logarithms.[Top]LOGISTIC REGRESSION (not up yet)
Some Basic Concepts in Measurement
HELP WITH METHODOLOGICAL AND STATISTICAL SKILLS
The Center For Statistical Consultation and Research - UM can ask e-mail questions about SAS and SPSS codes
The CHANCE Database Welcome Page Introduction to probability and statistics; a database of resources for teaching probability and statistics including articles from newpapers and some journals
Content Analysis --"resources for making child's play of sophisticated content analyses" software available for analysis of text, video, and "image" content; links to articles on content analysis
Data Sonification Project Tutorial. By John Flowers, et al. at Univerisity of Nebraska-Lincoln. Demonstrates ways sounds are being used to display data for data analysis and teaching of quantitative methods and statistics. Interesting Idea!
Knowledge Base online hypertext textbook: Introduction to Applied Social Research
Methods in Behavioral Research Web Pages designed to go with Paul C. Cozby's Book of the same name
Presenting Qualitative Data by Ronald J. Chenail,The Qualitative Report, Volume 2, Number 3, December, 1995
The Problems with Statistics A short paper on reasoning with statistics by Richard F. Taflinger, Includes "Things to Consider about Statistics" Who did the study? What are the statistics measuring? Who was asked? How were they asked? Compared with what?
QualPageresources for qualitative researchers
The Question Factory a laboratory where you help create new survey research instruments by answering open-ended and fixed-choice questions; you could "borrow" the questions for your own research design
Research Design Explained, 3rd ed. Web pages designed to go with Mark Mitchell's and Janina Jolley's book of the same title; focus on psychology
Research Methods lots of links
Roland Hawkes' Social Science Research Methods and Statistics: Resources for Teachersmostly links to "resourceful" pages on the Web
Selecting Statistics this site takes you through a series of questions concerning the data you are using, such as number of variables, dependent specified?, and level of measurement, is normal distribution assumed?, and then suggests the type of analysis you should conduct (NOTE: UTSA grad students! This is a computerized version of the handout from Dr. Harris' graduate methods course)
Social Science Research Methods and Statistics: Resources for Teachers
Sociological Methodology Sociological Methodology is an annual volume on methods of research in the social sciences. Site provides abstracts of articles.
Sociology Courses on the Internet
Statistics Glossary A nice glossary of statistical terms from V.J. Easton & J.H. McColl
World Lecture Hall - Sociology
HELPFUL TOOLS ONLINE
Central Limit Theorem Applet. An interactive program to illustrate the operation of the central limit theorem.
Download Statistical Software Jim Spickard provides both data and analytical software for teaching concepts in sociology; shareware and freeware
Guessing Correlations A nice little applet (Requires a Java Capable Browser) that will show four correlations for you to guess.
The Microsociology Gallery. A set of hypercard applications for social psychology and sociology.
OASISSThis program allows users to do frequency runs, recoding of variables, and crosstabulations using SPSS as a background.
Regression Applet. Move one data point and see what happens to a regression line. Test for the effect of outliers.
The Research Randomizer creates a set of "pseudo-randomized" numbers; Works Best with Netscape 4.0 or higher.
Software and Datasets for Sociology and Demography these appear to be small teaching data sets
Windows/DOSsoftware archive focussing on statistics
Social Science Statistics and Research Search Engine
World-Wide Web Virtual Library: Statistics
SOFTWARE PACKAGES
- Welcome
Graduate
Courses at UTSA
Data and Statistical Resources Graduate Faculty at UTSA
Abstracts and Papers Online Journals
Social Theory Areas of Specialization
Miscellaneous Sociology Resources Please Sign My Guest Book
Organizations and Associations Student Resources
African American Resources Asian American Resources
Links tested 08/05/98. Updated 08/05/98