CHCC Home

Introduction to Data Analysis Topics

Substantive Topics

Contacts

CCSR homepage

Census homepage

Using the substantive materials online

The substantive materials have been produced for use in the study disciplines of Geography, Social Policy, Demography & Social Statistics, Sociology, Politics, and Economics. Even using one unit could add substantively to your achievement of Learning Outcomes. These units include the following valuable components:

• Clear objectives, including substantive objectives
• Achievement of the ability to interpret tables & graphs
• A Critical Approach to the Content (each unit different)
• Discussion questions
• Downloadable results in some units for graphing
• Access points to Excel, NESSTAR, or NSDSTAT tables;(excellent alternatives to more complex software)
• Exercises - three types:
  • interpretation checks
  • active data-manipulation exercises
  • critical interpretation of findings

All the exercises can be used either alone or in pairs, or for group-work in class or outside of class. Lecturers may want to augment the questions asked here. Illustrative answers are usually presented within the unit.

The simplest way to use the materials is to click on the online slideshow for a particular unit. You will sometimes find custom buttons which take you to linked materials. (Note that the methodology units have a different range of linked types of materials.)

In the online materials, hyperlinks are used to make links between different units. Some are very closely related, e.g. Ethnicity is a unit, and Ethnicity and Living Conditions/housing is a unit. Links are also made to the Methodology units.

Each unit also has its own Guidelines. These should be printed off by tutors. They guide you through the materials, the exercises, and any suggestions for spinoffs.

The following buttons are found in the Substantive units:

• exercise guideline notes
• easy data-manipulation packages
• suggested activities
• guidelines about teaching/learning for that unit
• SARs NESSTAR website for free use
• SPSS and STATA files; plus NSDstat software with data

Please note that the materials are using both 1991 and 2001 census data. However, the 2001 anonymised records will be available during 2003 and will then be integrated into an improved version of the substantive materials. The CCSR SARs pages have more details on the 2001 SARs, including availabilty.