Assignment #4

Describing Variables with Figures

Part A:  Using SPSS to Make Univariate Figures (15 points)

To complete Part A of this assignment, you will need to use SPSS for Windows to analyze the data from the General Social Survey, 2006 datafile.  You can access it through Blackboard, then the course website, then Datafiles.  Save the file named GSS06-PFPB.sav.  (This file contains data from 1,500 American adults interviewed in 2006.)

MAKE SURE THAT ALL OF YOUR FIGURES HAVE COMPLETE TITLES AND THAT THE SOURCE IS INDICATED EACH TIME.

• Answer SPSS Problems 1a (only) on page 87--however, make a HISTOGRAM rather than a bar graph.  (Make the histogram, print it out, turn it in.)  THEN, write a sentence or two summarizing key conclusions from the histogram about Internet use.
• Answer all parts of SPSS Problem 2 on page 87 (Make the pie graphs, print them out, turn them in)
• Answer SPSS Problem 4 on pages 87-88 (Make the figures, print them out, turn them in)
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PP

Part B:  Making Figures by Hand (15 points)

Answer all parts of the questions below.  Number the questions and the parts of the questions (for example 12a).

• Answer Chapter Exercise 8 on pages 91-92

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• Answer Chapter Exercise 12 on page 93

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• Answer Chapter Exercise 14 on page 94

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• Finally, go to www.fedstats.gov.  From there, go to a federal government agency and locate a figure on some issue that is sociologically relevant.  [Just label this quesion as LAST ONE a and b. 

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  •      a.  Print out the figure, making sure that it has a complete title and that the source is indicated.  (Write it in by hand, if you need to.)

     

•      b.  Summarize the main conclusions from your figure.

This assignment is due on Tuesday, September 22

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