Social Science Statistics I
Year: 2009-2010
Term: 1
Day and time: Monday 13.00-15.00 (lectures) and Monday pm (computer tutorials)
Course convener: Prof. Gwilym
Course description
This course introduces issues such as measurement of variables, describing properties of variables, visualisation of data, examining relationships between variables, the process of inference from samples to populations, the role of research design in the interplay between theory and empirical data, and the logic of hypotheses testing. Our goals are primarily practical. We will emphasise how to use quantitative methods to analyse empirical data and how to substantively interpret and use the results of such analyses rather than the formal foundations of statistics. The course assumes no prior knowledge of statistics or knowledge of mathematics beyond a secondary school level.
Course Aims
The aims of this course are to: (1) provide tools and skills to help students produce valid inferences about economic, social and political life; and (2) enhance students’ ability to evaluate and consider published research. Knowledge and understanding of fundamental statistical concepts is a prerequisite to achieving either of these aims.
The course assumes no prior knowledge of statistics or knowledge of mathematics beyond a high school level, though students are strongly recommended to attend the RTW (Research Training Week "Induction") lectures and tutorials on Maths & Statistics and Induction to SPSS labs prior to the course.
Contents
Induction / Week 1: Introduction to Quantitative Methods in Social Science
Week 2: Introduction to Inference
Week 3: Calculating z-Scores
Week 4: Confidence Intervals
Week 5: Confidence Intervals
Week 6: Introduction to hypothesis testing
Week 7: Hypothesis Tests for All Occasions
Week 8: Relationships between Categorical Variables
Week 9: Regression I: OLS and Interpreting Output
Week 10: Regression II: Dealing with Categorical Variables
Weeks 11 & 12 Catch-up and Review
Course text
Pryce, G. (2005) Inference and Statistics in SPSS, Geebeejey Publishing.