Statistics

Find  peer-reviewed articles that provide examples of  studies relevant to your research topic.  Qualitative studies are inappropriate for this week’s Forum Discussion. The quantitative studies do not have to be a perfect match to your topic or use data from the General Social Survey.  These articles will form your literature review for your final project, although an abbreviated version in comparison to what you would use in a “real-life” research project.  In these instances, it would be expected of you to exhaust as much of the existing literature as you could as you build context for your own research.  

All quantitative research papers will have the following sections: Introduction, Literature Review, Data, Methods, Findings, Discussion, and Conclusion. When you read these two research articles, pay close attention to sections marked with “Data,” “Methods,” and “Discussion.” Also read their conclusions to see how authors link their findings to the existing body of literature to highlight the significance of their own studies. 

In your initial forum posting, explain their findings based on the statistical data they present.  Answer the following questions:

1. What data did they use? This can usually be found in “Data” section.  
2. What test of significance did the researchers use?  This can usually be found in the “Discussion” section or reviewed in the “Methods” section.
3. What were their findings?  These will be reviewed with detail in the “Finding” and/or “Discussion” sections.
4. What was their research question and how did their findings support/not support their hypotheses?

NOTE- I am looking for NUMBERS here.  Talk to me about the statistical procedures (like, Chi-square, regression, etc.) NOT the topic of the study.

Do not present research studies that were already discussed by a classmate(s) for this week’s forum discussion. In your own words (i.e., no direct quotes!), briefly describe the context or purpose of the study (no more than 3 sentences) and then in more detail, discuss the findings. Your focus should be on the statistical processes being used.  Make sure to address the validity of each of the studies presented in your articles.