Manipulating Data Set in SPSS

Week 6 Assignment: Scholar-Practitioner Project: Data Analysis Plan

Scholar-Practitioner Project Submitted in Partial Fulfillment

of the Requirements for the Final Written Assignment

January, 2019.

Education Attainment and Nativity

Data Analysis Plan

Introduction

There is very limited research examining differences in levels of educational attainment by nativity (Everett et al, 2011). Although educational attainment plays a key role in shaping individuals into knowledgeable citizens who contribute to the building of a healthy and productive nation, it is important to point out that an individual nativity could tremendously influence the education level they reach. This section of the study will focus on data analysis methodologies that were used to complete the study.

Research Questions

The focus of this study was to determine the difference in educational attainment between Native citizens and the foreign-born. This quantitative study was guided by the following research questions:

RQ 1: What are the socio-cultural factors that affect educational attainment among students?

RQ 2: How do the lower work-related returns foreign-born receive for their education relative to the native-born contribute to low education attainment?

RQ 3: How do psychological factors contribute to the difference in educational attainment between Native and foreign-born?

Variables used to Answer Research Questions

This study resorted to dependent, independent and confounding variables to collect the final data and aid in data analysis. To begin with, confounding variables in this study included the following: age, sex, marital status, employment, presence of children at home, size of residence, ethnicity, region of education, language used, and GSS cycle (Instructor’ Feedback: Please spell out upon first time usage). These variables were imperative as they were used to compare and examine the differences in educational attainment between natives and foreign-born participants. These variables were fundamental in answering all the research questions (Instructor’s Feedback: How so?)

Dependent variables included educational attainment which is split into high school diploma, one or more year of college with no degree.

The independent variables that were used in this study included individuals’ nativity which comprises native and foreign-born subjects. These are the variables controlled in the study to determine their impact on the educational attainment of the study population. Independent variables provide the basis on which the study is conducted. It is like the foundation of the study and it is because of this that the study considered independent variables as the focal point of the study.

Measurement of Variables

This study was done to evaluate the differences in attainment in education between the Native Americans and the foreign-born. The study used confounding, independent and dependent variables. In this essence, ordinal variables were measured rather coded from low or from negative to high or positive. This measurement was adopted to emphasize the significance of these variables rather resources in determining the difference in educational attainment. For example, stress as an ordinal variable was measured from (1) to (5) indicating extremely stressed to not stressed at all respectively. Nominal variables were measured using positive or negative. This was important, as the focus of the study was to determine how limiting factors affect the level of educational attainment between natives and foreign-born in the United States (Instructor’s Feedback: Could you please elaborate on how you collapsed categories of your variables?).

Statistical Analysis Plan

According to Parahoo (2006), “data analysis is an integrated part of the research design, and it is a means of making sense of data before presenting them in an understandable manner.” In this study, descriptive analysis was used to analyze the data that was collected. Descriptive data analysis methodology allows the researcher to characterize the data based on the properties of the data. In this study, the measure of frequency was the descriptive method that was used. The researcher relied on data count, frequency and percentage to characterize the data. Qualitative research data are recorded using numbers. The computer package described the data using frequency and central tendency, as outlined in Parahoo (2006).

The frequency of a specific response to a question was calculated as a percentage and the data was demonstrated using tables and bar charts. According to Polit & Beck (2010), “tables facilitate the presentation of large amounts of data and bar charts give a clear picture of results with a sense of proportion,” (Parahoo, 2006). The dominant propensity of the data was calculated using the mode (most frequent response) for Part A as the data are represented by ordinal numbers. For Part B and Part C fundamental inclination was calculated by determining the mean answer and the standard distribution around the mean. According to Polit & Beck (2010), “the researcher has to check on the format and significance of the charts and tables produced through the analysis of the computer. In this study, inferential statistics were used to check the connection between variable and correlation was checked using the demographics of the participants. Back-up of computer records was considered during the analysis process. The data was stored on a computer made secured by passwords. The completed questionnaires were kept in a secured place, as this is vital both for back-up and security reasons.

References

Everett, B. G., Rogers, R. G., Hummer, R. A., & Krueger, P. M. (2011). Trends in educational attainment by race/ethnicity, nativity, and sex in the United States, 1989-2005. Ethnic and racial studies, 34(9), 1543-1566.

Parahoo, K. (2006). Nursing research: principles, process, and issues, 2nd ed. Palgrave Macmillan, Houndsmill.

Polit, D.F., & Beck, C.T. (2010). Essentials of nursing research: appraising evidence for nursing practice, 7th ed. Wolters Kluwer Health / Lippincott Williams & Wilkins.