0% found this document useful (0 votes)
99 views38 pagesThe Practice of Social Research: Chapter 14 - Quantitative Data Analysis
This document outlines quantitative data analysis techniques discussed in Chapter 14 of The Practice of Social Research. It covers quantification of data through coding, univariate analysis of single variables, subgroup comparisons, bivariate analysis of two variables, and an introduction to multivariate analysis of several variables simultaneously. Specific quantitative methods discussed include frequency distributions, measures of central tendency, dispersion, constructing contingency tables, and guidelines for presenting tables.
Uploaded by
ElleCopyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PPT, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
0% found this document useful (0 votes)
99 views38 pagesThe Practice of Social Research: Chapter 14 - Quantitative Data Analysis
This document outlines quantitative data analysis techniques discussed in Chapter 14 of The Practice of Social Research. It covers quantification of data through coding, univariate analysis of single variables, subgroup comparisons, bivariate analysis of two variables, and an introduction to multivariate analysis of several variables simultaneously. Specific quantitative methods discussed include frequency distributions, measures of central tendency, dispersion, constructing contingency tables, and guidelines for presenting tables.
Uploaded by
ElleCopyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PPT, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
/ 38
The Practice of Social Research
Chapter 14 – Quantitative Data Analysis
Chapter Outline
Quantification of Data
Univariate Analysis
Subgroup Comparisons
Bivariate Analysis
Introduction to Multivariate Analysis
Quantification of Data
Quantification Analysis – the numerical
representation and manipulation of observations for
the purpose of describing and explaining the
phenomena that those observations reflect.
Quantification of Data
Age Political Affiliation
1=1 Democrat = 1
2=2 Republican = 2
3=3 Independent = 3
4=4
5=5 Region of Country
West = 1
Sex Midwest = 2
Male = 1 South = 3
Female = 2 Northeast = 4
Quantification of Data
Develop Code Categories
1. Use well-developed coding scheme.
2. Generate codes from your data.
Quantification of Data
Codebook Construction
Codebook – the document used in data processing and
analysis that tells the location of different data items in a
data file.
The codebook also identifies the locations of data items and the
meaning of the codes used.
Purposes of the Codebook
1. Primary guide in the coking processes
2. Guide for locating variables
Abbreviated Variable Name
ATTEND
How often do you attend religious services?
0. Never
1. Less than once a year Definition of the Variable
2. About once or twice a year
3. Several times a year
Numerical Lable
4. About once a month
5. 2-3 times a month
6. Nearly every week Variable Attributes
7. Every week
8. Several times a week
9. Don’t know, No answer
Quantification of Data
Data Entry
Univariate Analysis
Univariate Analysis – the analysis of a single
variable, for purposes of description (examples:
frequency distribution, averages, and measures of
dispersion).
Example: Gender
The number of men in a sample/population and the number of
women in a sample/population.
Univariate Analysis
Distributions
Frequency Distributions – a description of the number of
times the various attributes of a variable are observed in
a sample.
Univariate Analysis
Central Tendency
Average – an ambiguous term generally suggesting
typical or normal – a central tendency (examples: mean,
median, mode).
Univariate Analysis
Mean – an average computed by summing the
values of several observations and dividing by the
number of observations.
Mode- an average representing the most frequently
observed value or attribute.
Median – an average representing the value of the
“middle” case in a rank-ordered set of observations.
Univariate Analysis
Practice: The following list represents the scores on
a mid-term exam.
100, 94, 88, 91, 75, 61, 93, 82, 70, 88, 71, 88
Determine the mean.
Determine the mode.
Determine the median.
Univariate Analysis
Dispersion – the distribution of values around some
central value, such as an average.
Standard Deviation – a measure of dispersion
around the mean, calculated so that approximately
68 percent of the cases will lie within plus or minus
one standard deviation from the mean, 95 percent
within two, and 99.9 percent within three standard
deviations.
Univariate Analysis
Continuous Variable – a variable whose attributes
form a steady progression, such as age of income.
Discrete Variable – a variable whose attributes are
separate from one another, such as gender or
political affiliation.
Univariate Analysis
Detail versus Manageability
Provide reader with fullest degree of detail, balanced with
presenting data in a manageable form.
Subgroup Comparisons
Description of subsets of cases, subjects or
respondents.
“Collapsing” Response Categories
Handling “Don’t Knows”
Bivariate Analysis
Bivariate Analysis – the analysis of two variables
simultaneously, for the purpose of determining the
empirical relationship between them.
Bivariate Analysis
Constructing a Bivariate Table
1. Determine logical direction of relationship (independent
variable and dependent variable).
2. Percentage down versus percentage across.
Bivariate Analysis
Constructing and Reading Bivariate Tables
Example: Gender and Attitude toward Sexual
Equality
1. The cases are divided into men and women.
2. Each gender subgroup is described in terms of
approval or disapproval of sexual equality.
3. Men and women are compared in terms of the
percentages approving of sexual equality.
Bivariate Analysis
Contingency Table – a format for presenting the
relationship among variables as percentage
distributions.
Bivariate Analysis
Guidelines for Presentation of Tables
1. A table should have a heading or title that describes
what is contained in the table.
2. Original content should be clearly presented.
3. The attributes of each variable should be clearly
indicated.
4. The base on which percentage are computed should be
indicated.
5. Missing data should be indicated in the table.
Introduction to Multivariate Analysis
Multivariate Analysis – the analysis of the
simultaneous relationships among several variables.
