Selecting a Research Problem and Developing Hypotheses
This is the first assignment that has you using the data disk associated with Adventures in Social Research and the workbook itself. The assignment is due on Friday, February 9, by 5:00 p.m.The assignment asks you to answer the eight questions below. Some of the questions are modifications of questions found in the workbook as SPSS LAB EXERCISE 10.1. Feel free to use the workbook to help you complete the assignment.
Number the parts of your assignment (1-8) as I have below.
1. Choose an issue or topic that can be explained with data from the SPSS system file named EXER.sav. State clearly the issue/topic that you have chosen as your dependent variable topic.
2. Use the Utilities --> Variables ... command to identify the variable or variables in your EXER.SAV file which pertain to this issue/topic. Then list the abbreviated SPSS variable names of each variable or variables and also give a short description in English of that variable or variables.
3. Go to the GSS web site (http://www.ICPSR.umich.edu/gss) or use your workbook to find the exact operational definitions of the variable or variables you have chosen. List the operational definition (or definitions) of your variable or variables.
4. Using an Internet search engine and/or the research databases at the CMU library (http://www.lib.cmich.edu), investigate the issue/topic you have chosen. Then, write a few short paragraphs similar to those in Chapter 10 of the workbook that give a general introduction to this issue/topic. You should state why this issue/topic is important and highlight some of the central questions and controversies that make this issue/topic ripe for social research.
5. Print the first page of the web sites you used to answer Question 4 above and/or the abstracts of the results of your research database search. (You should find at least three sources!)
6. Choose TWO independent variables from the SPSS system file EXER.SAV that link to the dependent variable (or variables) that you have chosen. List the abbreviated variable names and give a short description in English of each of your two independent variables.
7. Present two hypotheses linking each of your two independent variables with your main dependent variable. You want two separate hypotheses – not one hypothesis linking all three variables. (If you chose more than one dependent variable in answering question 2, chose one "main" dependent variable to answer this question.)
8. In a few paragraphs, discuss why you think EACH of your independent variables "causes" your dependent variable. These should be separate paragraphs about each independent/dependent variable hypothesis.