During the duration of my time in this course, Statistics for the Social Sciences, I have learned several statistical techniques that are applied to sociological data. This has been done through learning how to navigate the computer programs SPSS and R studio also by performing by hand calculations of different statistical techniques. This course is taken after completing the Social Research and Program Evaluation course. The data collected from the research project performed in that course was then used as the data for the Statistics for the Social Sciences course.
While taking this course I learned several different ways to interpret data by hand such as Z-score, Confidence Intervals, T-test, Analysis of Variance (ANOVA), and Chi-squared. Finding a Z-score is something that I knew prior to this course, but the process of using the Z-score to understand the probability of something occurring was new. Confidence intervals are important to understand since this is how a researcher explains how their sample relates to the total population. When it came to learning the other statistical techniques, first I needed to know what my independent and dependent variables were, and if they were nominal, ordinal, or interval ratio. Also, I had to understand each of the techniques research and null hypothesis. Understanding these was imperative because this would tell me if there was a significant difference in the mean, categories, or if there is a positive or negative correlation. Along with this I also had to understand what a P-value is and how to tell if the data is significant using the industry standards of an alpha level which are 0.05, 0.01, and 0.001.
When performing a T-test I had to know if it was an independent sample or a dependent sample. This was done by looking at the independent variable, if the independent variable had two independent groups it would be an independent samples T-test. If the independent variable had two related groups over a period, I would run a dependent samples T-test. For an ANOVA I learned that the dependent variable needs to be interval ratio and the independent variable needs to be two or more groups. For a Chi-squared the independent and dependent variable had to be nominal or ordinal and in two or three groups. In a Pearson’s correlation both the independent and dependent variables need to be interval ratio. Along with having to perform each calculation by hand interpreting the data was also important.
Over the course I had to know how to interpret the data by hand before I was able to use the computer to calculate it for me. With doing this it showed me what the significance of what the answers were and how to computer got them. Another important step in finding the answers through the computer was learning how to recode my independent and dependent variables for them to be properly tested. Once this was done it made it possible for the computer to properly run each statistical technique. Knowing how to interpret data is extremely important because this allows someone to access the community and attempt to make improvement from the information gathered. For example, if someone wants to compare people’s thoughts on gun control they could run a T-test to see if there was a significant difference between the means of those who favored gun control and those who didn’t. If the results showed a significant difference in those who favored gun control and those who didn’t, the researcher could then look at where each person lives see if that played a factor.
For me personally this course has helped me understand the significance of statistical data. Before this course and the previous one I never took much thought in how numbers could have a huge impact on the world. If there were no researchers or sociologists in the world there would be slow change and, in my opinion, a narrow mindset of most people. This would be because there would be no one to find the problems in society and find ways to enlighten others and fix the problem. Since my career goal is to become a police officer knowing the importance of data will help me understand the people and citizens I would work with. Present data shows that the level of trust between officers and citizens is low. Having the knowledge in mind, I am able to change the way I interact with people to attempt to increase the trust level between citizen and officer.