When I switched my major to Criminology a couple of years ago, I did not expect to have to take two required statistics classes to graduate: SOCL 345 and 346. These two classes are meant to be taken in back-to-back semesters (Fall and Spring) and require students to participate in a year-long process to learn about statistical analysis. This course (SOCL 346) focused on research and statistical analysis, and we had to create a statistics manual that we needed to update as we learned new methods throughout the semester.
In this class, we started by taking the data we collected from the Family Fun Time surveys conducted during my SOCL 345 class last semester that were sent to the Andy Taylor Center and the Head Start Program. We analyzed the data by inputting it into two different types of statistical software and then interpreting it. The two software systems we used were SPSS and R. We used those two systems to apply various statistical techniques, such as ANOVA, Independent Samples T-Test, and Chi-squared Tests, to sociological data. We also learned how to perform each method by hand. The by-hand techniques are time-consuming, and it is very easy to make errors. Still, learning and perfecting those methods is essential because sometimes technology may not be easily accessible.
For SPSS, we learned how to re-code some of the variables into smaller groups and how to input and interpret data into the software. The data given to me by SPSS was easy to interpret, and the process of getting the data was pretty easy. I had to go to our campus library many times to work on SPSS, but I could find my way around the software and add to my manual because of the notes I took in class. We also learned how to input and interpret data into the software for R. The data was slightly harder to interpret because it wasn’t as organized as the data in SPSS. Inputting the commands was easy, but I had to double-check every time because a tiny typo could cause an error in generating data. There was a command for every statistical method (Finding Mean, Median, Mode, ANOVA, Independent samples T-Test, etc.).
Another objective for this course was to create a new section in our Statistics Manual with every chapter we learned in this course. We worked on this manual for the whole semester. Creating the manual was tedious because I had to make many adjustments before it was complete, but it was well worth it, in the end, seeing a complete statistics manual. The great thing about this course is that we can keep the manual after completing it, so I plan on always having it with me for whatever job I have in the future.
I believe that knowing how to use SPSS and R will benefit me greatly in the future. Learning every step of the various statistical methods in this course required extreme focus. After this course ends in a couple of weeks, I can proudly say that I have statistical analysis as a part of my skill set. Even after this course, I can still refresh my knowledge with the manual I created and the notes I took. Statistics is the primary analytical method in sociology and other social sciences, and many jobs require experience in data management and analysis, such as federal/government jobs. I plan on pursuing a federal job in the future, so by taking and completing this course, I will have the statistical experience that I hope future employers will notice.