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STAT200 Introduction to Statistics

Assignment #1: Descriptive Statistics Data Analysis Plan

Assignment #1: Prepare Descriptive Statistics Data Analysis Plan

Before conducting any statistical analyses, researchers develop a plan for how they will analyze

their data to answer their research questions. The purpose of this assignment is to provide an

experience developing a descriptive statistics analysis plan. Note: This first assignment is a plan

only; no statistics will be calculated or graphs created. The second assignment will involve

carrying out the plan, after receiving feedback from your instructor.

Assignment Steps:

Step #1: Review the provided STAT200 data set file. (Note: This data set will be used for all

three of this term’s written assignments).

The provided data set is a subsample of 30 data points from the US Department of Labor’s

Consumer Expenditure Surveys (CE) and provides information about the composition of

households and their annual expenditures (https://www.bls.gov/cex/). Detailed information on

the sample and variables is included with the data set file; please carefully review this

information to familiarize yourself with the data (Note: This information will be used in

Assignment #2 to describe the dataset).

Step #2: Develop descriptive statistics data analysis plan.

➢ Task 1: Develop scenario. Imagine that you are head of a household and have to determine

a household budget plan based on the data available from the dataset. For instance, you are a

35 year old single parent with a high school diploma and one child.

The “scenario” you describe is just to explain why you might be motivated to do this analysis. It

does NOT have to be correct and/or true. As an example:

*Note that this is an example and that the data variables may not be the same as in our data

set. You MUST create the scenario using the variables in our data set.*

“I am a 35 year old married parent (head of household) with one child. I earn $97,000 per year,

and I spend $8,200 per year on food (including dining out): $1,800 of it is on meat, $0 on bakery

items, and $150 on fruits (I’m on the Keto diet, so I spend more on protein than carbs). I want

to determine how my income and expenditures relate to other people in the United States.”

You could also do something like this (but realize that this statement uses variables that are

NOT in our data set):

“I’m a 16-year old medical doctor (child prodigy) who makes $248,000 a year. I have no kids,

but I do have some college debt to pay off ($2,648 per month–med school is expensive!). I also STAT200: Written Assignment #1 – Descriptive Statistics Data Analysis Plan – Instructions

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have pay for food ($12,400–I eat out a lot), electricity ($6,400–I keep my apartment chilled),

and transportation ($600–I don’t have a car yet). I want to learn how my current situation

matches up to or differs from other people.”

This statement is probably not true, but it will make me smile while reading it. 🙂 The last

statement is important, though. No one analyzes data sets for fun (even I don’t do that), so

briefly explain why you are undertaking this process (other than you are told to do it for this

class).

(NOTE: You do not need to put your actual income or any expenditure values in here–that is

personal information that I do not need to know).

A key point here is to ensure you use variables from the data set that accompany our section.

The variables described above may not actually apply to our section (they are “general” or

“generic”).

➢ Task 2: Select variables for analysis that match the scenario developed in Task 1. The data

set provides information on household consumption; there are socioeconomic variables and

expenditures variables. The socioeconomic variable names start with “SE-” and the expenditure

variable names start with a “USD;” all expenditures are in US dollars. All students must use

income as one variable. Select two additional socioeconomic variables (one qualitative and

one quantitative) and two expenditures for your analysis that match the scenario you

developed for Task 1.

For instance, using the example scenario of a 35 year old single parent with a high school

diploma and one child, you could select “income,” “education,” and “number of children” as

socioeconomic variables and then pick two household expenditure items to show the

distribution of costs and compare that with your income. For this assignment, though, only

select variables that are included with our section’s data set (and income, education, and

number of children may or may not be in our data set; these are just example variables include

to aid in understanding).

When selecting variables, think about the following three questions:

o Why am I choosing these variables?

o What interests me about these variables?

o What do I think will be the outcome?

Answer these questions in the section on the template labeled: “Reason(s) for Selecting the

Variables and Expected Outcome(s):”.STAT200: Written Assignment #1 – Descriptive Statistics Data Analysis Plan – Instructions

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➢ Task 3: Determine appropriate measures of central tendency and dispersion for the

selected variables. For each quantitative variable, select at least one measure of central

tendency and at least one measure of dispersion (Please see table below for list of measures).

For the qualitative variable, select one measure of central tendency. When determining the

measures of central tendency and dispersion, think about what is appropriate given the level of

measurement and type of variable. Recommend referring to the text and information posted in

our LEO classroom to help with this task (Note: you will use this information to provide a

rationale for your choice of measures)

Measures of Central Tendency Measures of Dispersion

● Mean

● Mode

● Median

● Range

● Sample Standard Deviation

● Variance

➢ Task 4: Determine appropriate graph and/or table for each of the selected variables. Select

one graph or table for each variable (Please see below table for list of graphs and tables). When

determining the graphs and tables, think about what is appropriate given the level of

measurement and type of variable. Recommend referring to the text and information posted in

our LEO classroom to help with this task (Note: you will use this information to provide a

rationale for your choice of graphs and/or tables).

Types of Graphs Types of Tables

● Pie Chart

● Bar Chart

● Histogram

● Box Plots (also known as Box-and-Whiskers Plot)

● Frequency Table

● Relative Frequency Table

● Grouped Frequency TableSTAT200: Written Assignment #1 – Descriptive Statistics Data Analysis Plan – Instructions

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Step #3: Complete the “Assignment #1: Descriptive Statistics Data Analysis Plan Template.”

Remember, you will not be conducting any statistical analysis, drawing any graphs, or compiling

any tables for the first assignment. Rather, you need to wait for feedback from your instructor

on this assignment and use that feedback to complete Assignment #2.

Here are the main sections for this assignment (i.e., completing the plan template):

✓ Identifying Information. Fill in information on name, class, instructor, and date.

✓ Scenario. In this section, briefly (2-3 sentences) describe the scenario you developed in

Step #2, Task 1.

✓ Complete Table 1: Variables Selected for the Analysis. Enter information the variables

selected for analysis in Step #2, Task 2. For each selected variable be sure to include its:

name as listed in the data set, description, and variable type.

✓ Reason(s) for Selecting the Variables and Expected Outcome(s): In this section, for each

selected variable, please answer the following questions:

✓ Why did I choose this variable?

✓ What interests me about this variable?

✓ What do I think will be the outcome?

✓ Complete Table 2. Numerical Summaries of the Selected Variables. Enter information on

selected measures of central tendency and dispersion for each selected variable. Be sure to

briefly explain why you choose those measurements. Note: The information for the

required variable, “Income,” has already been completed and can be used as a guide for

completing information on the remaining variables.

✓ Complete Table 3. Type of Graphs and/or Tables for Selected Variables. Enter

information on selected graph and/or table for each selected variable. Be sure to briefly

explain why you choose those measurements. Note: The information for the required

variable, “Income,” has already been completed and can be used as a guide for completing

information on the remaining variables.

✓ Assignment Submission: Save the file that contains your completed “Assignment #1:

Descriptive Statistics Data Analysis Plan Template” as a pdf or docx using the following

format: “LastName, First Name – Assignment1.” Then, submit the file via the Assignments

area in the LEO classroom in the “Assignment #1: Descriptive Statistics Data Analysis Plan”

folder and wait for your instructor’s feedback.STAT200: Written Assignment #1 – Descriptive Statistics Data Analysis Plan – Instructions

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