Reflection
In this class, Statistics for the Social Sciences, I learned many things that will help me now and in the future. This class taught me how to use R-Studio and SPSS software. These are both coding programs I used to create and analyze the data from the survey that I created and administered last semester in my research methods class. I learned how to solve many different statistical formulas with both of these programs and compute them by hand as well. The class seemed difficult in the beginning and I thought I was going to struggle. However, by the end of the class, I have the chance of getting an A. I learned how to create and work on a file in R-Studio and also work to find all of the information needed to complete my research project along the way.
Creating the statistics manual was one of the main objectives of this class. It took all semester to compete and it turned out quite well. The manual taught me everything that I will need to know, in a step by step fashion, when it comes to coding data for a future employer. I learned how to recode on different coding websites. In addition, I learned how to find the mean, median, and mode by hand and through the websites. Specifically, in chapter 4, it taught me how to find variance, range and standard deviation. This book was the most important aspect of this class and will continue to help me throughout my career if needed.
The material I have learned in this class will help me succeed in the future for whatever job and career I end up pursuing. Learning how to code and research data will help me with many tasks that I might be given involving data and data analysis. The programs, R-Studio and SPSS, are the main coding programs that companies use today and I am now experienced on both and have products that demonstrate my proficiency. Businesses use research, data collection and analysis in order to make effective decisions. Being able to use both of these programs effectively could give me a great advantage over other applicants and possibly other employees already working at the company.
The manual that was created in this class will assist me, and maybe others, till I am ready to retire from my job. The book has written instructions on how to find anything and everything needed in both programs as well as by hand instructions if I do not have access to a computer or the programs. The statistics manual was the major part of this class and quite an undertaking. It’s sole purpose is to help me at my future job if I ever needed a reminder on how to do something relating to data and data analysis.
With the information I have learned in this class, I will prove to my future bosses that I am able to code in current data programs and by hand. This will put me above other applicants searching for a job and possibly make me stand out among current employees. If I ever wanted to come back and do more research on the surveys we completed last semester, and finished this semester, I can. I feel confident with my skills as a researcher and my ability to compute and analyze data from that research to help employers make decisions.