Story, Dale                                                                                                                                                        4/21//2015
POLS  3310

STATISTICAL PROJECT

Select a theory, relationships, thesis, series of hypotheses or questions, etc. that are of interest to you.  Note that you should not do any substantive research for this project.  It is essentially a “tools” assignment. 

Find a data set(s) or compile your own data set that includes variables (dependent and independent) relevant to your theory.

Develop eight hypotheses with brief explanations regarding their plausibility (again—no substantive research—just common sense—not arbitrary or capricious).

Use SPSS (available in UH-OIT computer lab) to generate statistical techniques examining each hypothesis.  SPSS Help (quicky summarizes any necessary steps).. Remember that measures of association require comparative hypotheses (e.g., which is a stronger relationship:  gender and vote; or ethnicity and vote).  You must use at least three different statistics among the following:  cross-tabs (with chi-square), lambda, gamma, correlation coefficient, and/or regression.

• In a single word processing file, include the following:
• Introduction with
• an overview of your theory;
• a description of your data set(s)—including where a reviewer could find your data set online (i.e., the source of your data set); and
• a summary of your eight hypotheses.
• Statistical findings.  Essentially one paragraph on each hypothesis that summarizes your conclusions from the statistics that you  produce.
• Conclusion that ties your findings together.
• Appendix with all the relevant SPSS tables cut-and-pasted into your paper.






Due via email by the beginning of the last regular class day (per the UTA Calendar) for this class.