HW Due November 18th

Conduct three bivariate regressions using the same continuous outcome, but three different continuous or dichotomous predictors. To what extent does the explanatory power of your predictors differ? Be sure to discuss your findings in terms of how a one-unit change in X influences Y. Importantly, in terms of each of your predictors, what is a “unit”? Select one predictor and create a standard regression table.

HW for Nov 11

For your paper this week, pick a handful of continuous variables (organize around a central question) and examine their correlations. Include a table - see the gender paper, P30.

(Don't worry about z-scoring variables here.)

HW for Nov 4th

a). Final project prospectus due (one page or less).

b). In this assignment, explore the associations between Spring literacy achievement (C2RSCALE), non-parental childcare participation (P1CARNOW), and SES (WKSESQ5). Does the relationship between SES and literacy achievement depend on whether children attend daycare? Is the link between attending daycare and literacy achievement the same for students from all social backgrounds? Be sure to discuss the potential main effects and interaction. Rather than a table, create a graph to illustrate your findings.

Oct 28th HW

Consider the associations between children’s socio-economic status (SES) and their measured cognitive skills. Using the quintile version of SES (WKSESQ5), examine SES disparities in children’s standardized literacy (C1RSCALE) and math scores (C1MSCALE) at the beginning of kindergarten and 3 other continuous variables. Your table should display the post hoc results (use the middle quintile as the comparison group - see pg 16 of the summer learning paper).

HW due Oct 21

Create a new variable that indicates the mean of teachers’ fall and spring ratings of children’s approaches to learning (T1LEARN and T2LEARN). Now, transform this new variable into a dummy variable that identifies children who are below and above the mean (1 = below-average approaches to learning, 0 = above-average approaches to learning). Then, using t-test and chi-square analyses, examine the relationship between low/high approaches to learning and children’s SES (WKSESL), age at school entry (P1AGEENT), literacy and mathematics skills (C1RSCALE, C1MSCALE), gender (FEMALE), and race/ethnicity (RACE5). Place your results into a single table. As with every assignment, your paper should reflect the very compelling and interesting “story” present in your findings.

Chi-square HW due Oct 14th

Using chi-square analyses, explore the relationship between children’s race (RACE5) and poverty status (whether the child’s family lives below the federal poverty line; WKPOVRTY); full-day kindergarten attendance (FULLDAY); daycare participation (P1PRIMNW - be sure to use the categorical variable, not the dummy variable originally listed); kindergarten repetition (P1FIRKDG); and whether the child has an identified disability (P1DISABL). What patterns did you find? Your findings may be placed into a single table.


*I'll be hanging out in the 2nd floor of library Thursday afternoon if you need extra help - email me. -Megan.

Homework Due October 7

Explore the associations between gender (FEMALE) and children’s academic, social, and behavioral characteristics at kindergarten entry (C1RSCALE, C1MSCALE, WKINCOME, P1AGEENT, T1LEARN - or other continuous variables of interest to you). Use a standardized (z-scored) version of these variables when appropriate. How do male and female kindergarteners differ? Be sure to distinguish between statistical significance and practical significance. Place your findings into a single table.

*I can't make office hours on Thursday afternoon, so if you need extra help, I'll be hanging out in the library, 2nd floor from around 11am to 1pm on Thursday morning (some time slots within this are already booked...). Or email me.
-Megan

Homework Due Sept. 30th

In case you didn't receive the email I sent out, there is a typo in this week's assignment. For question 1, please use C2GSCALE, not C1GSCALE.
-Megan

First Homework Assignment: Due September 23rd

a) Using the class ECLS-K data file, produce frequencies for the following variables: gender (FEMALE), race/ethnicity (RACE5), and mother’s educational attainment (WKMOMED; note the missing data). In a short paragraph, describe the children in the sample in terms of these demographic characteristics.

b) Produce histograms for the following variables: approaches to learning, Spring (T2LEARN), externalizing behavior problems, Spring (T2EXTERN), general knowledge skills, Spring (C2GSCALE), family income (WKINCOME), and mother’s age (P1HMAGE). Create a table that provides the M and SD of these four variables. Discuss your findings, making sure to describe the distributions of each variable. As with the first part of this assignment, provide some insight into these children and their families.

Please include both your syntax and output with each assignment.

Course Information

ORLA 4501: Data Analysis
Fall 2008 Tuesdays, 4pm
Instructor: Douglas Ready, ready@tc.edu; 215 Zankel
TA: Megan Silander, silander@tc.edu

Textbooks
*George, D., & Mallery, P. (2009, 16.0 Update). SPSS for Windows step by step: A simple guide
and reference. Boston: Pearson.
*Shavelson, R.J. (1996). Statistical reasoning for the behavioral sciences (3rd ed.). Boston:Allyn
and Bacon.

Office hours
Doug: Wednesday, 3-6 pm and by appointment
Megan: Thursday 4-6pm and by appointment