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Lab Assignments Fall 2015
Please use these questions to complete the lab assignments. You may copy and paste each
assignment and complete the questions with your answers.
Lab Assignment #1 Frequency Distributions Due September 10th
Please create a Microsoft word document and type the questions below and provide the answers
under each question.
Name: ________________________________________
Points: _______________________
1. HINTS variable name
2. Actual question asked of respondents (information from codebook) and values/attributes:
3. Frequency Distribution, copy it onto the assignment document.
4. Two complete, meaningful sentences describing what you find of interest
5. GSS variable name
6. Actual question asked of respondents (information from codebook) and values/attributes
7. Frequency Distribution, copy it onto the assignment document.
8. Two complete, meaningful sentences describing what you find of interest:
9. MTF variable name
10. Actual question asked of respondents (information from codebook) and values/attributes:
11. Frequency Distribution, copy it onto the assignment document.
12. Two complete, meaningful sentences describing what you find of interest:
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Lab Assignment #2 Cross-tabs tables & chi-square Due September 17th
Please create a Microsoft word document and type the questions below and provide the answers
under each question.
Name: ____________________________________
Points: ______________________
1.
Choose one dependent variable and one independent variable from one of the databases.
(Remember the type of variables to choose.) If you are unsure what the variable label means, be
sure to look up the variable in the codebook. List the variables and what they mean if there is any
doubt.
2.
Create a bivariate table and place it on the Microsoft word document.
3.
Create a chi-square table and place it on the Microsoft word document.
4.
Write two sentences explaining if you believe there is a relationship between the two
variables, using the percentages found in the cells across the independent variable.
5.
Next identify the significance of the chi-square (the probability in the Asymp. Sig. (2
sided) column). State it and explain how this helps you determine whether there is a relationship
between the variables.
6.
Repeat questions 1 through 5 above as questions 6 through 10, using variables from one
of the other databases from the one you chose for questions 1 through 5.
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Lab Assignment #3 Recoding variables Due September 24th
Please create a Microsoft word document and type the questions below and provide the answers
under each question.
Name: ____________________________________
Points: ____________________
1. Choose an ordinal variable to recode from one of the three databases. Look up the
question in the codebook. On a Microsoft word document record the actual question and
actual possible responses. Explain how you are trying to recode the variable, i.e. which
responses are you collapsing?
2. Create a frequency distribution of the original variable, copy it to the Microsoft word
document.
3. Recode the variable (be sure to give new value names). Make a frequency distribution of
the new variable, and copy it to the Microsoft word document.
4. How do the two frequencies distributions compare; that is, the original one and your
newly created one? Explain in at least two sentences using the actual percentages.
5. Repeat questions 1 through 4 above as questions 5 through 9, using a variable from one
of the other databases from the one you chose for questions 1 through 4.
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Lab Assignment #4 Multivariate table & chi-square Due October 1st
Please create a Microsoft word document and type the questions below and provide the answers
under each question.
Name ____________________________________
Points __________________
1. Choose an independent, dependent and control variable. First create a bivariate table with
just the independent and dependent variables. Copy your output to your word document.
2. Analyze what you see. First, explain whether the percentages change across the
independent variable. Second, state the chi-square probability. Third, using both of those
first two, explain whether there is a relationship between the independent and dependent
variables. Be sure to write in clear sentences using the percentages.
3. Now introduce your control variable (place it into the third box in SPSS and create the
output). Copy your output to your word document.
4. Explain what you see in each of the control variable analyses. What new information are
you able to glean by using this control variable? How do the percentages across the
independent variable change for each of the control variable analyses?
5. What is the chi-square probability for each of the analyses?
6. Given your answers to questions #4 and #5, what can you say about whether there is a
relationship between the independent and dependent variables when you introduce the
control variable?
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Lab Assignment #5 Creating an Index Due October 15th
Please create a Microsoft word document and type the questions below and provide the answers
under each question.
Name: _____________________________________
Points: ______________________
1. Decide on two or more variables to make an index. List the variables here.
2. Make a frequency distribution of each of the variables. Copy and paste them onto your
document.
3. Assuming you do not need to reverse code anything, combine the two variables by using
Transform, Compute Variable, etc. Make a frequency distribution of this variable and
include it here.
4. Now decide how you will recode that variable to make it into an index. Explain your
rationale for choosing how to divide up your answers.
5. Now recode the computed variable into your index variable. Use Transform, Recode into
different variables, etc. Be sure to give names to the values of your new variable by going
to variable view and identifying what 1, 2, 3 signify. Now make a frequency distribution
of your index variable and include it on your Microsoft word document.
6. Explain your data in three complete sentences, using the percentages.
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Lab Assignment #6 Independent Samples t-test of Means Due October 22nd
Please create a Microsoft word document and type the questions below and provide the answers
under each question.
Name: ____________________________________
Points: _______________________
1. Choose a test variable and a grouping variable from GSS. First create a frequency
distribution of your test variable. Now create an independent samples t-test of means.
Place the output of your independent samples t-test on a Microsoft word document (the
Group Statistics table and the Independent Samples Test table).
2. What is the mean for each of your groups? What does it actually signify? Explain in real
language to someone who is not familiar with this database what the means signify.
3. What is the alpha probability for this test of means (the Sig. 2-tailed column, Equal
variances assumed)? Does it indicate that there is a relationship between your grouping
variable and your test variable? Explain.
4. Answer questions 1 through 3 above as questions 4 through 6 using variables from one of
the other databases.
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Lab Assignment #7 Data Presentation Due November 5th
Please create a Microsoft word document and type the questions below and provide the answers
under each question.
Name: ___________________________________
Points: _____________________
For this assignment, you may choose to do two of the three tables that were covered in the
explanation (frequency, cross-tabs, t-test), using two of the three data bases. Remember to use
variables with fewer attributes (values).
1. Create the SPSS output. Paste it into a Microsoft word document.
2. Create the table from the SPSS output. Include a table number and name.
3. Repeat #1 and #2 above for #3 and #4.