Sociology 201: Statistical Methods in Sociology
Sections 001-004
Spring 2006
M, W, F 10:40-11:30 pm
Tuttleman 301AB
Instructor: Prof. Kim Goyette
Email: kgoyette@temple.edu
Office phone number: 204-0134
Office: 737 Gladfelter Hall
Office Hours: M, W 12-1, TH 10-11 or by appointment
Teaching Assistants:
Joanna Cohen (Mon AM, Wed PM labs)
Stephanie Gabis (Wed AM, Fri AM labs)
Office: 752 Gladfelter Hall
Office: 724 Gladfelter Hall
Phone: 204-7963
E-mail: jpcohen@temple.edu
Email: sgabis@temple.edu
Office Hours: M 11:30-12:30, 2:30-4:30 in GH 748
Office Hours: W 2:30-4:30, F 12-1 in GH 748
Web Site: A site for this course will be created on Blackboard. Through this site students will have access to class
announcements, notes, and other materials. Please check this web site at least once a week for class reminders,
links, and supplemental course material. A hand-out on Blackboard will be distributed early in the semester.
Course description:
Statistics are used everyday, but often little understood. In this course, we will begin to explore how statistics are
obtained and presented. We will learn how to use statistics to describe phenomenon (what) and begin to explore
how to use statistics to explain trends and patterns (why). Further, we will learn how to be critical of the statistics
that are used routinely. Emphasis in this course is placed on understanding statistics conceptually. Calculations are
not considered of primary importance.
Course goals:
Students will learn how to describe patterns using statistics (univariate statistics).
Students will explore how to investigate explanations for phenomenon using bivariate and multivariate statistics.
Students will learn to be critical of routinely used statistics.
Students will understand probability and the normal distribution.
Readings for the course:
One textbook is required and is available for purchase by students. The following book is available at the Temple
University bookstore:
De Veaux, Richard D. and Pual F. Velleman. 2004. Intro Stats. Boston: Addison-Wesley.
Students with Disabilities:
Any student who has a need for accommodation based on the impact of a disability should contact me privately to
discuss the specific situation as soon as possible. Contact Disability Resources and Services at 215-204-1280 in 100
Ritter Annex to coordinate reasonable accommodations for students with documented disabilities.
Course requirements:
All students are expected to attend every class, attend labs, do the assigned reading, and participate actively in
classes and labs. Other requirements for the course include eight homework assignments, one data report using data
provided by the instructor, and three exams.
Homework Assignments: These eight assignments are intended to allow you to practice the concepts learned in class
and in the reading using examples from real life. You will get the homework assignment for the next week a week
in advance so that you will have the assignment as we are covering the material needed to complete it.
Exams: These three exams will test your comprehension of the materials discussed in class, and from the readings.
They will consist of short answer questions and short essay interpretations of statistics.
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Data Report: For this assignment, you will use statistics to describe and investigate a question of your choice. The
instructor will provide a data set for you to use and you will use the computer software SPSS for Windows
(available in the data lab) to complete the assignments. Detailed guidelines for this report will be provided midsemester. The statistics obtained should be described in a short essay using 10- to 12-pt. Font with 1-inch margins
on all sides. The report should be 2-4 pages long. Tables should be appended.
Lab Attendance: Attendance will be taken during labs. Your participation will be assessed based on the number of
labs you attend. Those who are more than ten minutes late for labs will be counted absent for the day. Discretionary
points will be awarded for those who actively seek help from either the teaching assistants or the professor when it is
needed.
Grading: Class and lab attendance and participation (10%), homework assignments (30%), exams (30%), and data
report (30%).
Late assignments and make-up exams will not be accepted unless accompanied by written documentation of reasons
for the delay (doctors’ notes, for example). Incompletes will not be issued for this class.
***Plagiarism or cheating in any form will not be tolerated and will be dealt with swiftly according to
university policy.***
Course Schedule and Readings
All readings are included in the Intro Stats textbook.
Jan. 18, 20
Introduction to Statistics and Data.
Chapters 1 and 2.
Part I: Populations
Jan. 23, 25, 27
Describing Patterns: Univariate Statistics.
Chapters 3, 4, 5.
Jan. 30, Feb. 1, 3
Describing Patterns: Distributions.
Homework #1 due Monday, Jan. 30.
Chapter 6.
Feb. 6, 8, 10
Describing Patterns: Bivariate Statistics.
Homework #2 due Monday, Feb. 6.
Chapters 7, 8.
Feb. 13, 15, 17
Exam review and Exam #1.
Homework #3 due Monday, Feb. 13.
Exam #1 Review (February 15).
Exam #1. (February 17).
Part II: Getting from Populations to Samples
Feb. 20, 22, 24
Gathering “Representative” Data.
Chapters 11, 12, 13.
Feb. 27, Mar. 1, 3
Chapters 14, 15.
Randomness and Probability.
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Mar. 6, 8, 10
Spring Break
Mar. 13, 15, 17
Probability Models and the Normal Model.
Homework #4 due Monday, Mar. 13.
Chapters 16, 17, 18.
Mar. 20, 22, 24
Sampling Distributions and Confidence Intervals.
Homework #5 due Monday, Mar. 20.
Chapter 19.
Mar. 27, 29, 31
Exam #2.
Homework #6 due Monday, Mar. 27.
Exam #2 Review (Mar. 29).
Exam #2 (Mar. 31).
Part III: Testing Hypotheses and Making Inferences Using Samples
Apr. 3, 5, 7
Testing Hypotheses.
Chapters 20, 21, 22.
Apr. 10, 12, 14
Making Inferences.
Chapters 23, 24.
Apr. 17, 19, 21
Chi-square and Regression.
Homework #7 due Monday, Apr. 17.
Chapters 26, 27
Apr. 24, 26, 28 & May 1 Exam #3 Review.
Homework #8 due Monday, Apr. 24.
Data report is due April 28.
May 5 (8:30-10:30am)
Final Exam (Examination #3).