Student Assessment Project—“You’re the Best!”
Introduction
Your group will locate an existing data set useful in some way to represent your interests. Team
members brainstorm possible variables that measure what is considered the best, worst, or other
expressions to research. Teacher must approve the topic. The data set should have the following
characteristics:
1. Several grouping variables may be used for independent variables. For example, gender,
race/ethnicity, living status, etc.
2. Describe the type of sampling procedure you intend to use (stratified, cluster, SRS,
systematic, etc.). Where and how you obtained the data set.
3. Several variables utilize discrete or continuous scales of measurement. For example,
survey questions typically found in satisfaction surveys or published data sets. These
variables may be used as dependent variables.
4. There should be at least 50 records in the data set.
There should be an introductory description of the data set, the conditions under which the data
were obtained, and the purpose of data collection. Ask research question(s) relevant to data
collection. A copy of the data file (either on disk or an attachment to an email message) should
be submitted along with the final report.
Descriptive statistics
To help better understand data, your groups should calculate appropriate descriptive statistics for
all the variables collected. These should include measures of central tendency (mean, mode and
median), and measures of variability (standard deviation, variance and range) for the variables
measured by discrete or continuous scales, bivariate data to include Least Square Regression
Line and analysis. For the variables measured by quantitative/categorical scales, frequency
distribution should be reported Report your groups findings based on at least five variables in
narrative form, supplemented with appropriately designed tables, graphs, boxplots, histograms,
and scatterplots. (Think univariate and bivariate sampling.)
Implications
Summarize the important findings your group’s analyses have produced and the usefulness of
these findings in answering the research question(s). What are the implications of your findings
practice? Develop an opinion regarding your findings.
Personal Learning
Describe your personal learning from conducting this study. Each person in your group submits
a 250 description of your learning experience after you’ve completed the assignment.
Oral Presentation
The culmination of the project involves an oral presentation of your group’s research to your
classmates. This presentation should be 10 minutes in length followed by 5 minutes of
discussion. Key issues, findings, and personal learning should be emphasized. A few graphical
presentations should be used to augment the presentation (PowerPoint)
Written Presentation
Select a magazine that you will submit your article to. Please review the magazine to evaluate
the tenor and type of articles typically published. Write the article and submit to magazine.
Your article might include the following:
1. Topic/Question—should be descriptive and eye-catching
2. Background—why did you decide to investigate the topic/question
3. Methodology—should be clear enough so that anyone who reads your description could
replicate your results
4. Data—organize your data
5. Analysis—include appropriate graphical and numerical summaries (bar graphs, pie charts,
histograms, boxplots, relative frequencies, cumulative frequencies, and scatterplots with
LSRL)
6. Interpretation—discuss what the data tells you about the topic/question. What
generalizations might you draw about the population from which the sample was drawn?
7. Pitfalls and extensions—share any difficulties you experience obtaining the data. What
might you do differently if you were to repeat the research process? Are there any
possible extensions of this project that might prove interesting?