Social Statistics Flashcards
get an A in Social Statistics
a set of procedures used by social scientists to organize, summarize, and communicate numerical information
statistics
information represented by numbers, which can be the subject of statistical analysis
data
research process
a set of activities in which scientists engage to answer questions, examine ideas, or test theories
five stages of the research process
- asking the research question
- forming the hypothesis
- collecting data
- analyzing data
- evaluating the hypothesis
empirical research
research based on evidence that can be verified by using our direct experience
theory
a set of assumptions and propositions used to explain, predict, and understand social phenomenon
hypothesis
a statement predicting the relationship between two or more observable attributes
variable
a property of people or objects that takes on two or more values
unit of analysis
the object of research, such as individuals, groups, organizations or social artifacts
dependent variable
the variable to be explained, the effect
independent variable
the variable expected to count for (the cause f) the dependent variable
nominal level of measurement
numbers or other symbols are assigned to a set of categories for the purpose of naming, labeling, or classifying the observations
there should be enough categories composing the variables to classify every observation
exhaustive
can nominal categories be rank-ordered?
no
there is only one category suitable for each observation
mutually exclusive
ordinal level of measurement
numbers are assigned to rank order categories. ranging from low to high or high to low.
interval-ratio level of measurement
measurement for all cases are expressed in the same units and equally spaced. Interval- ratio values can be rank ordered.
Dichotomous Varaible
a variable that has only two values
Number of Children per family is an example of a continuous or discrete variable?
discrete
variables that do not have a minimum sized unit of measurement. their range of values can be subdivided into increasingly smaller fractional values.
continuous variables
variables with a minimum sized unit of measurement that can not be subdivided.
discrete variables
Length is an example of continuous or discrete variable?
continuous
population
the total set of of individuals, objects, groups, or events in which a researcher is interested.
sample
a subset of cases selected from a population
population
the process of identifying and selecting a subset of a population for study
descriptive statistics
procedures that help us organize and describe data collected from either a sample or a population
inferential statistics
the logic and procedures concerned with making predictions or inferences about a population based on observations and analysis of a sample.
what are two overarching sets of questions we ask in social statistics?
How do social arrangements affect the human condition?
How do humans influence these social arrangements?
The process of making appropriate empirical observations or
measurements.
social research
what is the purpose of social research?
test theories or gain sufficient knowledge about some portion of reality so that you can theorize about it.
numerical information collected for research purposes
data
data that has been carefully and systematically collected
empirical data
a commitment to exploring data rather than proving or disproving a certain concept.
value neutrality
Mark Twain said There are three kinds of lies:
Lies, damn lies and statistics
logical groupings of attributes (something that varies)
variables
the number or category that a score can have
value
a particular person’s value on a variable
score
the variable to be explained (the effect)
dependent variable
the variable expected to account for the dependent variable (the cause)
independent variable
what variable is always the property you are trying to explain? That is always the object of research?
dependent variable
Social scientists begin studies with (_________________________ ) and
then investigate using empirical evidence
questions
an explanation of how things relate to eachother
theory