Introduction to Data Analysis Part 2
Dates:
16th September 2011
30th March 2012
Duration: 1 day (10am — 4:30pm)
Level: Introductory
Course Fee: £175 (£125 for those from educational institutions)
CCSR offers 5 free places to research staff and students within the Faculty of Humanities at the University of Manchester and the North West Doctoral Training Centre.
Course Leader: Dr Kingsley Purdam
Course Requirements: Participants should have a basic familiarity with a statistical software package such as SPSS. Ideally participants should also have taken Introduction to Data Analysis 1 or have equivalent experience.
Course Summary
This course provides an introduction to the theory and methods of quantitative data analysis for interval variables, focussing on the techniques of correlation and linear regression.
Course Objectives
The course will examine interval variables and relationships between them covering:
- The distinction between interval and discrete variables
- The visual representation of interval variable in scatter graphs and histograms
- The derivation of the formulas for means, standard deviation and covariance
- How to determine the strength of relationship using correlation
- How to test whether a relationship exists
- How to describe the relationship using a statistical model
- And add in other variables to improve that model
Target Audience
The course is designed for new users of survey data and does not presume any previous knowledge or experience working with quantitative methods, although previously having taken Introduction to Data Analysis 1 would be an advantage.
Preliminary Reading
- Field, A. (2009) Discovering Statistics Using SPSS for Windows. London, SAGE Publications.
- Diamond, I. and Jefferies, J. (2004) Beginning Statistics: An Introduction for Social Scientists. London, Sage Publications.
- Blaikie, N. (2003) Analyzing Quantitative Data: from description to explanation London, SAGE Publications.
For information about the Government surveys (used in the practical sessions), see the Economic and Data Service web site: http://www.esds.ac.uk/government/