Walden University Importance of Relationships in GSS Dataset Discussion

For this Discussion, you will explore the relationship between these components and understand the trade-off between reducing risk in our confidence of estimates and increasing precision.

To prepare for this Discussion:

• Review Chapters 6 and 7 of the Frankfort-Nachmias &      Leon-Guerrero text and in Chapter 7, p. 188, consider Hispanic migration      and earnings and focus on how different levels of confidence and sample      size work together.
• Review Magnusson’s web blog found in the Learning      Resources to further your visualization and understanding of confidence      intervals.
• Use the Course Guide and Assignment Help found in this      week’s Learning Resources to search for a quantitative article related to      confidence intervals.
• Using the SPSS software, General Social Survey dataset      and choose a quantitative variable that interests you.

Using SPSS:

1. Take a random sample of 100.
2. Calculate the 95% confidence interval for the variable.
3. Calculate a 90% confidence interval.
4. Take another random sample of 400.
5. Calculate the 95% confidence interval for the variable.
6. Calculate a 90% confidence interval.

Post your results, the mean of Age to verify the dataset you used, and an explanation of how different levels of confidence and sample size affect the width of the confidence interval. Next, consider the statement, “Confidence intervals are underutilized” and explain what the implications might be of using or not using confidence intervals. Provide examples based on the results of your data. Also, use your research to support your findings.

Learning Resources

Required Readings

Frankfort-Nachmias, C., Leon-Guerrero, A., & Davis, G. (2020). Social statistics for a diverse society (9th ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications.

• Chapter 5, “The Normal Distribution” (pp. 151-177)
• Chapter 6, “Sampling and Sampling Distributions” (pp. 179-209)
• Chapter 7, “Estimation” (pp. 211-240)

Wagner, III, W. E. (2020). Using IBM® SPSS® statistics for research methods and social science statistics (7th ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications.

• Chapter 3, “Selecting and Sampling Cases”
• Chapter 5, “Charts and Graphs”
• Chapter 11, “Editing Output”

Magnusson, K. (n.d.). Welcome to Kristoffer Magnusson’s blog about R, Statistics, Psychology, Open Science, Data Visualization [blog]. Retrieved from http://rpsychologist.com/index.html

As you review this web blog, select the Interpreting Confidence Intervals – new d3.js visualization link, once you select the link, follow the instructions to view the interactive for confidence intervals. This interactive will help you to visualize and understand confidence intervals.

Note: This is Kristoffer Magnusson’s personal blog and his views may not necessarily reflect the views of Walden University faculty.

Walden University Library. (n.d.). Course Guide and Assignment Help for RSCH 8210. Retrieved from http://academicguides.waldenu.edu/rsch8210

For help with this week’s research, see this Course Guide and related weekly assignment resources.

Datasets

Your instructor will post the datasets for the course in the Doc Sharing section and in an Announcement. Your instructor may also recommend using a different dataset from the ones provided here.

Optional Resources

Rice University, University of Houston Clear Lake, and Tufts University. (n.d.). Online Statistics Education: An Interactive Multimedia Course of Study. Retrieved from http://onlinestatbook.com/2/estimation/ci_sim.html

Use this website for your practice as you consider confidence intervals and how the width changes. Also, consider why the width might be important.

Skill Builders:

• Confidence Intervals
• Sampling Distributions