SOCIOLOGY 702
INTRODUCTI ON TO STATISTICS AND DATA ANALYSIS
FALL, 2007
DRAFT COPY
Professor Michael A. Malec Assistant: Gretchen Sisson
Office: McGuinn 402 McGuinn 410-D
Office Hours: TBA Office Hours: TBA
Mailbox is in McGuinn 426 Mailbox in room 410 is #59
Phone: 617-552-4131 617-552-8413
E-mail: malec@bc.edu sissong@bc.edu
COURSE REQUIREMENTS:
1. There will be 8-10 homework assignments. These will typically involve some computer
analysis using the Statistical Package for the Social Sci ences (SPSS). This work will constitute
thirty percent (30 %) of your course grade. It is ESSENTIAL that this work is done ON TIME,
which I define as 3:00 pm on the date due, unless otherwise noted. Late papers will lose 1 point
(of a possible 10) of the grade per calendar day.
2. Each student will prepare two 9-12 page papers base d on independent analysis of data on a
topic chosen by the student. A more detailed description of this requirement will be given later.
Paper 1 is due October 19 at 3:00 PM. (30% of cours e grade)
Paper 2 is due December 15 at 3:00 PM. (40% of cou rse grade)
Late papers will be penalized 3 (or 4) points (of a possible 30 or 40) per calendar day.
NOTE: For both Papers 1 and 2, except for catastrophic medical or grievous personal reasons, I
will NOT grant extensions.
COURSE TEXTS:
Required:
Denise F. Polit DATA ANALYSIS AND ST ATISTICS
Recommended Supplementary Reading:
Norusis, Marija J. SPSS 14.0 (or 13.0 or 12.0) GUIDE TO DATA ANALYSIS
Several other books may be of use for reference purposes. They are on reserve in O'Neill Library,
as are the required texts. They are:
J. Levin & J. Fox, ELEMENTARY STATIS TICS IN SOCIAL RESEARCH
HA29.L388
J. Hedderson, S PSS MADE SI MPLE HA32.H43
Michael A. Malec, ESSENTI AL STATISTICS FOR SOCIAL RESEARCH
(2nd ed.) H61.M4224
GENERAL SOCIAL SURVEYS: CUMUL ATIVE CODEBOOK HN29.N33
Also on reserve, and perhaps of use for the term papers, is:
T. Smith and B.J. Arnold, ANNOTATED BIBLIOGRAPHY OF PAPERS
USING THE GENERAL SOCIAL SURVEY HA155.S55
TOPICS AND READINGS
Dates are subject to change
Additional topics may be added as time allows
