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PSYCH 404

Data Analysis

Assignment 1

INSTRUCTIONS: Answer all parts of each question.  Turn in your own work – SPSS printouts, your own calculations and answers to each question.  You may NOT work with another person on this assignment.  This is because knowing how to use SPSS is a skill that will be valuable to you in this class and in the future.  

1. Using the SPSS file (“Chapter 1 Data”), construct a frequency distribution for the MATH scores.  See chapter 6 in the Pallant text for step-by-step instructions.  How easy is it to characterize the distribution?  What other statistical techniques might you use to explore the characteristics of the distribution?  Run those statistics and describe the characteristics of the distribution. (Hint:  Is it skewed, bi-modal, or normal)?

2. Using the SPSS file, construct a histogram for the READING scores.  See chapter 7 in the Pallant text for step-by-step directions.  Compare the distributions of the MATH scores (from item 1 above) and the READING scores.  What conclusions might you draw between the two distributions?  (Hint:  Where are students performing better?  Be sure to provide support for your conclusion.)

3. Using the SPSS file, calculate the median and mean for the MATH, SPELLING, and READING scores.  See chapter 6 of the Pallant text for step-by-step instructions.  How does the mean and median compare among the MATH, SPELLING and READING scores?  For which of the scores would you use the median rather than the mean as a measure of central tendency?  Explain the rationale your answer.

4. Using the SPSS file, calculate the 25^th percentile for the MATH and READING data.  See chapter 6 in the Pallant text for step-by-step instructions.  By hand, calculate the interquartile range and the semi-interquartile range for the MATH and READING data.  Which scores have more variability?  Explain the rationale for your answer.

5. Using the SPSS file, calculate the standard deviation for the MATH, SPELLING, and READING data.  See chapter 6 in the Pallant text for step-by-step instructions.  How would you calculate the variance if SPSS or a calculator were not available?  (WHEN ANSWERING THE QUESTION, PLEASE DO NOT PROVIDE ME WITH A DEFINITION OR CALCULATION OF VARIANCE.)

6. Using the SPSS file, calculate the correlation coefficient for the MATH and SPELLING data.  Calculate correlation coefficient for the SPELLING and READING data.  (See chapter 11 in the Pallant text.)  Calculate correlation coefficient for the MATH and READING data.  What conclusions can you draw from the correlation coefficients concerning MATH, SPELLING and READING?

7. Run a standard multiple regression analysis to determine how well MATH and SPELLING scores predict READING scores.  See chapter 13 in the Pallant text for step-by-step instructions.  Explain why the results of the multiple regression support or do not support your hypothesis about MATH, SPELLING and READING from question 6 above.