Educational and Psychological Measurement - Psyed 2072

DATA ANALYSIS USING COMPUTER PACKAGES - PSYED 2422

Instructor: Clement Stone

Office: 5920 WWPH (624-9359; ) Office Hours: By Appointment (M,W,F)

Class Location: 5520 PC Lab

Course Description

The course is an introductory course in using computer packages for data analysis. The course focuses on quantitative methods where specific attributes or variables are measured according to different scales of measurement. Statistical procedures are then applied to study relationships between the variables. The course addresses all stages to data analysis, including:

§ Reviewing research questions and identifying variables of interest

§ Reviewing protocols used to collect data

§ Coding data and creating data codebooks (record of how data coded)

§ Entering data into data file – many options

- Reading data from file into computer package for analyses (e.g., SAS, SPSS)

- Screening data – check for correctness of data entry, and amount of missing data

- Transforming data – create new variables from existing variables (e.g., total score)

- Performing file manipulations – merge files, select subpopulations and

random samples, change the unit of analysis

§ Analyzing data

- Examining distributions for variables – check for outliers, validity of assumptions

- Selecting cases to analyze – perform analyses on subset of cases

- Selecting appropriate statistical procedures (based on research questions and types of variables) and output format (e.g., tables, graphs)

- Reviewing results

Format of class: lecture/demonstration, discussion, hands-on use of SPSS and SAS.

Text

Required:

a) Your Statistical Consultant by Newton, R.R. & Rudestam, K.E. (2013). Publisher: Sage.

Recommended:

b) Little SAS Book

c) An Intermediate Guide to SPSS Programming by Boslaugh, S. Sage.

Prerequisites

PSYED 2001, 2018 or equivalent (Class assumes limited or no previous experience with SAS or SPSS)

Grading

Contribution Toward Grade

SPSS Exam: 40%

SAS Exam: 40%

Assignments: 20%

Note: Examinations will consist of exercises that require performing tasks using SPSS and SAS, and will consist of both an in-class and a take-home portion.

Syllabus

Date (1/7 - 4/25) Topic Text Readings

Week 1 Introduction to Course, Chapter 1 (a)

Data Coding and Entry, Intro to SPSS

Week 2 Data Definition in SPSS Chapters 1-12,

19-24 (c)

Week 3 Exploring Data using SPSS Chapter 2 (a)

Week 4 Exploring Data (continued)

Week 5 No Class

Week 6 File Manipulations using SPSS Chapters 13-18 (c)

Week 7 Data Transformations and Missing Data Chapter 7 (a)

Handout SPSS take-home exam

Week 8 In-Class SPSS exam

Week 9 Intro to SAS and Data Definition in SAS Chapters 1, 3,

12,13, 17, 18 (b)

Week 10 Spring Break

Week 11 Transformations in SAS Chapter 2 (b)

Introduction to Enterprise Guide

Week 12 Exploring Data using SAS Chapters 14 (b)