SOC200 - Quantitative Analysis (Chapter 14 +15) Flashcards

1
Q

QUANTITATIVE ANALYSIS

A

approach to analyzing social science data in which:
observations represented + manipulated numerically
to describe + explain phenomena represented by those observations

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2
Q

QUANTITATIVE ANALYSIS

A

increase of cheap processing power in recent decades has increased possibilities of quantitative analysis

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3
Q

QUANTITATIVE ANALYSIS

A

convenience has increased demand among researchers, governments for quantitatively analyzed data
Computers a must: Better tools, Execution makes it a must

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4
Q

Coding in Quantitative Analysis

A

For computers to recognize the data you want to analyze, all elements comprising your data must be assigned a distinct number
levels of data will affect type of coding type of analysis you can use
Software needs to recognize data into categories

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5
Q

Coding in Quantitative Analysis

A

Nominal, Ordinal, Interval/Ratio

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6
Q

Coding Nominal Level Data

A

can code categories of nominal data with any numbers you want, BUT you have to use analyses that will NOT treat values as count data
code each category with numbers
Missing values – signify space in data with some number: assigning nonresponse with unique code
Restricted to certain types of analysis based on data level
Can’t use mean for nominal data

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7
Q

Coding Ordinal Level Data

A

can code the categories of ordinal data with any numbers you want BUT for convenience, categories are usually coded with consecutive numbers
make it more intuitive and simple

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8
Q

Coding Ordinal Level Data

A

Though ordinal data have rank, you have to use analyses that will NOT treat the values as count data because rank may not be equal distances between each category
Same coding options as nominal

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9
Q

Coding Interval/Ratio Data

A

Each category has value comprised of continuous number
data has the most potential for analysis
possesses an inherent number that you can use for coding

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10
Q

Coding Interval/Ratio Data

A
can later collapse it into ordinal/nominal form for less sophisticated analysis
# representing an actual value
Still need to specify missing value: negative number because it couldn’t possibly be part of the data
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11
Q

Ultimate Goal of Coding in QA

A

To reduce broad array of info to more limited + manageable set of attributes that will make up variable
Important Guideline: coding to maintain great deal of detail helps keep your options open in a later analysis

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12
Q

Main Approaches to Coding in Quantitative Analysis: Approach 1

A

well-developed coding scheme derived from research purpose

using existing coding scheme can save you time + effort, developed by someone else

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13
Q

Main Approaches to Coding in Quantitative Analysis: Approach 2

A

Generating codes directly from observing data

inductive approach

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14
Q

The Codebook – The Ultimate Reference to your Data

A

searcher’s reference for how to code data they are collecting (when the researcher is actually collecting data)

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15
Q

The Codebook – The Ultimate Reference to your Data

A

researcher’s reference for locating variables + interpreting codes in data during analysis (when the researcher is analyzing secondary data)
Reference for what the data means

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16
Q

Common Codebook Contents

A

Variable identified with abbreviated name
Should contain full definition of variable
Should explain attributes comprising each variable
Should indicate numeric label assigned to each attribute for data manipulation purposes

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17
Q

Common Codebook Contents

A

Name: variable abbreviated
Label attached to each value
know what type of data we have (nominal, ordinal, interval)
N: Total # of cases + frequencies of each category
Percentages of frequencies
Properties: location in spreadsheet + type of data

18
Q

Data “Cleaning”

A

Detecting, correcting/eliminating coding errors in data
Missing values that shouldn’t be there
1. Values have to be the ones specified in codebook
2. Understand your data: checking for values logically impossible given data

19
Q

Contingency Cleaning

A

checking that cases which have logical limits to certain responses, have data that falls within those limits

20
Q

Contingency Cleaning

A

Some programs check for errors during/after data entry

Run frequency distribution to check for outlying/odd frequencies of responses

21
Q

Univariate Analysis

A

univariate data: single variable

univariate analysis: report distribution of cases of single variable

22
Q

Three ways of presenting univariate data:

A

Distributions – charts/tables showing frequencies of the
categories of a single variable
Central Tendency – “typical” value in your variable
Dispersion – how close data is clustered around its
“typical” value

23
Q

Distributions

A

Frequency Distributions: show # of cases that have each attribute of variable
Valid Percent: missing values not taken into account

24
Q

Frequency Distribution as a Bar Chart

A

frequencies by themselves are meaningless
need some basis/context for assessing frequencies (percentage of total cases)
Easier to look at

25
Central Tendency
Which ones you can logically use depends on whether your univariate data is nominal, ordinal, or interval/ratio level + goal of your analysis Mode – Nominal + ordinal: few categories
26
Mean Value
summing values of your observations + dividing by total # of observations Ideal for continuous (interval/ratio level) data (age, temperature, dollars, speed, height, weight)
27
The Mean Value
Problem:can become inaccurate measure of typical value of variable if some cases have extreme values
28
mode
expressing “typical” value of your single variable most frequently observed value Can be used with any of the four levels of data
29
Median Value
value represents 50% of the cases in ranked distribution are above this value, and 50% are below it
30
Median Value
1. Rank all cases by the value of the variable 2. find the case 50% above this case + 50% below Easy to find value when list of cases equals odd number because it will be the value of the middle case
31
Median Value
even number of cases - middle pair of numbers + find value half way betw them by adding them up + dividing by two
32
Important Note on Using Measures of Central Tendency
important to be familiar with the distribution of the data to help you decide on the most meaningful measure of central tendency. Remember, extreme values can affect the mean
33
Measures of Dispersion
how closely values of variable are clustered around “typical value” in the variable (a mean, median, or mode) Scattered/clustered How tightly distributed data
34
The Range
distance separating min + max | The hourly wages in Canada excluding Toronto ranged from a low of $2.00 to a high of $173.08 in 2009
35
Standard Deviation
standard error of sampling distribution: how closely values in sample clustered around pop mean how closely the values in the sample are clustered around sample mean
36
STANDARD DEVIATION AND STANDARD DEVIATION INCREMENTS
Probability theory: certain proportion of data in the sample will fall within a certain distance from its mean value
37
Subgroup Comparisons and Bivariate Analysis
Subgroup comparison of data involves description of 2/more groups simultaneously for comparison purposes Bivariate: look at relationship from 1 variable to another
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Subgroup Comparisons and Bivariate Analysis
subgroup comparison is more descriptive. Bivariate analysis seeks to show empirical relationships. tables comparing bivariate/multivariate data - contingency tables (pattern in 1 variable is thought to be contingent on other)
39
Table Preparation and Interpretation in a Bivariate Analysis
general agreement that independent variable will appear in columns along top row of table, while dependent variables appear in rows comprising fist column Depends on what you are comparing
40
Table Preparation and Interpretation in a Bivariate Analysis
No standard agreement on displaying percentages in a bivariate table, so use the following general guideline Tables percentaged down (each column = 100%) should be read across Tables percentaged across (each row = 100%) should be read down
41
Logic of Multivariate Analysis
seeing causal/explanatory relationship relationship betw independent + dependent variable is examined with regard to more than 1 IV When you add 3rd variable, does it change relationship betw DV + IV
42
Constructing and Reading Multivariate Tables
What else could determine whether a person is employed part or full time? Perhaps one’s student status also affects this: Females still more prevalent in part time workers regardless of student status Student status has a big impact on part time status