Statss 1

Assignment 1: Survey and Dataset Creation

In this assignment, you are going to collect data and create a dataset. This dataset will be used to complete subsequent assignments throughout the course. I could simply give you a dataset, but where is the fun in that!? This way, you have an understanding of where the information came from. You should be able to do this after reading chapter 4 and watching the video (it seems hard, but it is really rather easy).

First, you are to administer this survey to five people. The five people can be anyone other than yourself, but try to select people from different social groups - finding people you do not know is fine and in some ways preferred. Please make sure that each person completes the survey thoroughly and collects it once they have completed it. Here is the survey. Please print out five copies and have five different people fill them out: PLEASE SEE OTHER ATTACHMENT FOR SURVEY FORM

(Note. please look at section 1.6.2 of your textbook prior to this point)

Once you have collected five completed surveys you are to create a database in SPSS using the information from the five completed surveys (again, make sure you have read Chapter 4 and watched the video on creating a database). The next thing to do is create variables. Be sure to give each variable a proper “NAME”. You can use the actual question from the survey as the “Label” in SPSS (e.g., “What is the highest level of school you have completed or the highest degree you have received?”). Make sure to create an ID variable so that you can give each case a unique ID number. Also, make sure you assign each variable the proper level of measurement in spss. I am going to combine all the datasets into one once you turn them in to me, so, in order to be consistent and make things easier for me, please use the following rules (i.e., “Values”, "Measure", and “Missing” columns on variable view):

1. Make sure all variable are given the appropriate level of measurement (i.e., nominal, ordinal, scale).

2. Make sure all nominal and ordinal variables are given a numeric coding scheme.

3. For any nominal or ordinal variable use a value of “0” for the first (top) response and increase values moving down the response list (e.g., Sex: male = 0, female = 1; Highest schooling: less than high school degree =0, High school degree or equivalent = 1...Graduate Degree =5).

4. For an interval/ratio variables, simply enter in the recorded response.

5. Use a missing value of “-99” for any missing responses. Make sure to indicate -99 in the "missing" column on the variable view tab for all variables even if there are no missing in your actual data.

6. Keep variables in the order they are in on the survey.

7. The dataset should be in wide format (i.e., each respondent/completed survey is a row in data view).

Once you have created your database, the next thing you will need to do is enter the data from your surveys. This can be done under the “data view” tab using the coding strategy specified above - IT IS IMPERATIVE THAT YOU FOLLOW THE DIRECTIONS ABOVE SO THAT YOUR DATASET IS THE SAME (OR AT LEAST AS CLOSE AS POSSIBLE) TO OTHER STUDENTS' DATASETS IN THE CLASS. Upon completion of the dataset, please save the dataset with your first and last name as the name of the .sav file (e.g., jamesray.sav). You will then submit the assignment through Canvas by the due date (the earlier, the better).

Note: I will combine each of our individual datasets into one merged dataset that you will use to complete assignments throughout the rest of the course. I will make this available to you for download in the next module. You should also be aware that the "NAMES" that you give your variables will most likely not be the same as the names in the final, merged dataset. However, everything else will be the same assuming that you followed the directions and did everything correctly.