This course, Sociology Statistics, has taught me so much important information about conducting research. Perhaps one of the biggest things I have learned in this course is what my data actually means and how to interpret it. I have learned how to code my data using programs such as SPSS and RStudio. This coding allows me to group my findings together much easier and tell my intended audience what I have found.
Aside from learning how to operate different software programs, I have learned multiple ways to test my research question. Throughout this course I have tested my question by using Chi-Square Tests, T-Tests, and Pearson’s Correlation Tests. Learning how to run these tests has given me different ways to test my data and further conclude my hypotheses.
As compared to many general education classes that I have taken, this material I have learned matters because it is something I will most likely use in the professional world following college. We have seen fellow classmates who are alumni talk about using their statistics manual in their current job and how much it has helped them be successful. This material goes far beyond this one semester, and will be a valuable asset to have in our bag.
Having this skill set to test hypotheses I will have later in my career will be an essential tool. My employer may ask me to find the difference in a set of data they have acquired, and I can now code the data into groups to better understand what the data is saying. The skills I have learned could be the difference between getting hired over somebody else for a position we are equal for.
Unlike many students in this current pandemic crisis, I am fortunate to already have my job secured in the field of law enforcement. This is a field which requires a lot of paperwork and organization skills, not just chasing bad guys. I intend to keep my skills with sociology statistics sharp for when the instance comes where I need to analyze some data about a certain type of crime, etc. I intend to put these skills I have learned on my resume, where I may change career paths one day and need programming skill to acquire a job. In a time where technology is ever evolving, I am thankful to have learned these statistics skills and will put them to use in the professional world.