Data Analysis with SPSS : A First Course in Applied Statistics

by Sweet, Stephen A.; Grace-Martin, Karen

• ISBN13: 9780205483877
• ISBN10: 0205483879
• Edition: 3rd
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2008-01-01
• Publisher: Allyn & Bacon

Summary

Data Analysis with SPSSis designed to teach students how to explore data in a systematic manner using the most popular professional social statistics program on the market today. Written in ten manageable chapters, this book first introduces students to the approach researchers use to frame research questions and the logic of establishing causal relations. Students are then oriented to the SPSS program and how to examine data sets. Subsequent chapters guide them through univariate analysis, bivariate analysis, graphic analysis, and multivariate analysis. Students conclude their course by learning how to write a research report and by engaging in their own research project. Each book is packaged with a disk containing the GSS (General Social Survey) file and the States data files.The GSS file contains 100 variables generated from interviews with 2,900 people, concerning their behaviors and attitudes on a wide variety of issues such as abortion, religion, prejudice, sexuality, and politics. The States data allows comparison of all 50 states with 400 variables indicating issues such as unemployment, environment, criminality, population, and education. Students will ultimately use these data to conduct their own independent research project with SPSS.

Table of Contents

Each chapter begins with "Overview" and concludes with "Summary," "Key Terms", and "Exercises."

Preface

Acknowledgements

About the Authors

Dedication

Key Concepts in Social Science Research

Why Do We Need Statistics

Framing Topics Into Research Questions

Theory and Hypothesis

Population and Samples

Relationships and Causality

Association

Time Order

Nonspuriousness

Data

The Data Sets

Parts of a Data Set

Reliability and Validity

Getting Started: Accessing, Examining,and Saving Data

Initial Settings

The Layout of SPSS

Types of Variables

Categorical Variables

Scale Variables

Defining and Saving a New Data Set

Managing Data Sets: Dropping and Adding Variables

Merging and Imp

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