Social Statistics

Each chapter begins with an introduction and also includes a summary, key concepts, answers to skill practices, general exercises, and SPSS exercises.

Preface.


1. Getting Started: Fundamentals of Research Design.


The Process of Social Research.



Fundamentals of Research Design.



Introducing SPSS Student Version 11.0 for Windows.



2. Levels of Measurement.


Classifying Variables by Levels of Measurement.



Classifying Variables as Discrete or Continuous Variables.







3. Creating an SPSS Data File.


Preparing the Survey Questions.



Setting Up (Defining) Data in the SPSS Program.



Adding the ID Variable.



Entering and Checking Data.



Saving Your Data.



4. Analyzing Frequency Distributions.


What is a Frequency Distribution?



Constructing a Frequency Distribution by Hand.



Counting the Responses.



Computing the Percentages of Response.



Obtaining a Frequency Distribution Using SPSS.



Splitting a Data File.



Using Charts and Graphs to Analyze Distributions.



Recoding.



5. Measures of Central Tendency.


The Mode.



The Median.



The Mean.



Characteristics of the Mean, Median, and Mode.



Using Mean, Median, and Mode to Analyze Distributions: Are They Normal or Not?



Finding Measures of Central Tendency Using SPSS.



Using Measures of Central Tendency.



6. Measures of Dispersion.


The Index of Qualitative Variation.



The Range and the Interquartile Range.



Mean Deviation, Variance, and Standard Deviation.



Finding and Interpreting Measures of Dispersion Using SPSS.



Using Measures of Dispersion.



7. An Introduction to Making Inferences.


The Normal Distribution Revisited: Z Scores.



Sample Statistics.



SPSS Guide: Finding Z Scores.



SPSS Guide: Finding the Standard Error of the Mean.



8. Making Inferences for Single Variables.


Point Estimates, Confidence Intervals, and Confidence Levels for Means.



Confidence Intervals and Levels for Percentages.



SPSS Guide: Finding Confidence Intervals for Means Interpretation.



Specifying Confidence Levels Using SPSS.



SPSS Guide: Specifying Confidence Levels.



Using SPSS to Find Confidence Intervals and Levels for Proportions.



9. Analyzing Contingency Tables.


Understanding a Contingency Table.



Setting Up a Contingency Table By Hand.



Interpreting Contingency Tables.



Producing Contingency Tables Using SPSS.



Writing Up Your Contingency Table Analysis.



10. Measures of Association for Contingency Tables.


Measures of Association for Nominal Variables.



Measures of Association for Ordinal Variables.



Using SPSS to Find and Interpret Measures of Association.



Controlling for a Third Variable.



11. Making Inferences for Associations Between Categorical Variables: Chi-Square.


Core Concepts for Hypothesis Testing.



Calculating and Interpreting the Test Statistic for Contingency Tables: Chi Square (X2).



Finding and Interpreting Chi-Square Statistics Using SPSS.



12. Measures of Association for Numerical Variables.


Comparing Means.



Regression Analysis.



Evaluating Associations Between Variables Using SPSS.



Controlling for Third Variables.



Using Measures of Association.



13. Making Inferences Involving Numerical Variables.


Core Concepts for Hypothesis Testing With Numerical Variables.



Testing Pearsons r for Significance.



Testing Differences in Means for Statistical Significance.



Differences in Means for Two Samples: The Independent Samples t Test.



Analysis of Variance.



Using SPSS for Inferential Statistics Involving Numerical Variables.



Appendix A. Area Under the Normal Curve.


Appendix B. Distribution of the Critical Values of Chi-Square.


Appendix C. Distribution of the Critical Values of Students t.


Appendix D. Distribution of the Critical Values of F.


Appendix E. Codebook for the GSS 2002 subset A File.


Appendix F. Bells and Whistles: Advanced Features of SPSS.


Appendix G. Answers to Odd-Numbered Exercises.


Credits.


Glossary/Index.