This assignment asks you to use data from the Survey
of Student Attitudes and Experiences 1998.
The data set is available at t:\students\public\201\ssae98.sav
see the questionnaire from the Survey and the list of variables
handout. Using this data set, the
problems below ask you to obtain statistics and write comments on the
results. When you have completed 1-5
below, hand in the printout of the SPSS output, along with your written
comments. Alternatively, if you copy
the SPSS output to a file in Word for Windows and write the comments in that
file, hand in a paper copy of this file.
For each problem, part (a) refers to what you are to
do with SPSS. For part (b) of each of
these questions, write the answers and comments in pen or pencil on the
printout (or in a Word for Windows file).
1. (a)
Obtain frequency distributions for each of the variables IMM (question 33),
IMMJOBS (question 35), and EMP1 and EMP4 (question 37) by using Analyze Descriptive Statistics Frequencies. (b) In a sentence or two,
describe the frequency distribution for each variable, commenting on any
differences in views for the two parts of question 37.
2. (a) In the middle of the last page of the Report
on the Survey of Student Attitudes and Experiences are some statements
concerning Student employment patterns.
These refer to the variables JOB, JOBHOURS, and PAY in questions
52-54. Obtain frequency distributions
and the mean, median, and mode for each of these variables and histograms for
JOBHOURS and PAY. (b) Write a
paragraph summarizing your results, where possible comparing with what is
written in the Report.
3. (a)
Obtain stem-and-leaf displays for (i) age of respondent (AGE) and (ii) age of
respondent as dependent variable, classified by provincial political preference
(PV) in the factor list, using Analyze
Descriptive Statistics Explore. Also, obtain the histograms of AGE for those
of each political preference by clicking on Plots, then check Histogram
and Continue, prior to clicking OK. (Ignore or delete the boxplot on the output). (b) Using the histograms or the
stem-and-leaf displays, in words compare the distributions of age for those of
different political preference. Use the
stem-and-leaf displays to determine the median and the mode of age for those
with Conservative political preference and those who support None of the
parties.
4. (a)
For variables V5, V6, and V7 (question 15), obtain frequency distributions,
histograms and the following statistics: mean, median, mode, standard
deviation, and quartiles. (b) Using the
data in the output, calculate the interquartile range for each variable. Using these data, write a short note on how
students view these political issues.
5. (a) Using Analyze
Descriptive Statistics Descriptives, obtain the mean and standard
deviation for the six variables measuring time spent at various activities
(STHOURS to RELHOURS, question 51),
(b) Using the statistics you obtain,
write a short note describing the average and variation across these variables.