Quantitative Techniques/U6310 Section 2

Fall 2001/Professor Yang

ASSIGNMENT #1

Due Wednesday September 12

Complete before lab:

·               Come to lab having selected four or five variables of interest from the 2000 GSS.  This will require that you follow the 2000 GSS online codebook handout.  You must come to lab knowing the variable names, question wording, and response categories.  During lab, you will receive an introduction to SPSS using the variables you have preselected through this advance codebook work.

Due September 12:

1)    Write up a description of 3 variables from the 2000 GSS, noting the variable name, ver batim question wording, and response categories.  In each case briefly state in plain language what each variable is actually a measure of.

2)    Briefly state what the level of measurement of each variable is (i.e., nominal, ordinal, or interval/ratio level) and explain why.

3)    Calculate summary statistics for these variables (run frequencies for the three variables in SPSS) and present output tables in a well-organized document.  Provide brief interpretation of these results.