Biostatistics

COH 602: Biostatistics SAS Data Analysis Project: Descriptive & Inferential Data Analysis Final Paper

Instructions & Grading Criteria

Dr. Kemi A. Wosu

Purpose & Content of Analysis Paper

This final paper is the culmination of all of your SAS data analysis work in this course. The purpose of

this paper is to show your expertise in performing descriptive and inferential SAS analyses.

Additionally, writing your paper will give you some experience of how to correctly discuss your work

and results in a clear and concise manner.

Your completed final analysis project will be graded based on the following criteria:

1. Introduction (10 points)

2. Methods (20 points)

3. Discussion (45 points)

4. Conclusion (10 points)

5. Proper grammar and sentence structure used for clear and concise writing (5 points)

6. SAS results printed out in RTF format and results being reported in paper highlighted (5 points)

7. SAS code copied and pasted into the same Word document as your paper (5 points)

Your paper should be in APA format – that is, double-spaced, with a title page, header with page

number and 1 inch margin on all sides. You can find a good reference to APA style here.

https://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/560/01/

Parts 1-4 of your paper should be a minimum of 6 pages, double-spaced (not including tables). After 10

pages I will stop reading (seriously). If it is much less than 6 pages, you probably left something

important out. If it is over 10 pages, you are probably going off-topic.

Part 6 should include about 2 pages of SAS code copied and pasted into the Appendix of your paper. If

it isn’t that long, you probably left something out. The output may be much longer, depending on your

research question and the data set used.

Part 7 should include approximately 25 pages of SAS results printed out in RTF format and the specific

sections where you obtained the results you are reporting in the paper highlighted, so that it is very clear

where your answers are coming from. This part is essential, so that I can double-check and confirm that

you have run your analyses in the correct manner and that you are reporting the appropriate results. If

your results are not highlighted, and I have to hunt for your answers, you will lose points on this section.

Descriptive Analysis

Make sure your paper has four distinct parts (shown in the table below) that flow well and transition as

seamlessly as possible into one another.

The main point of this final paper is to state the conclusions you’ve reached from all the various

analyses you have performed, and use these conclusions to answer your overall research question. You

should write the paper as if your reader does not have an extensive background in biostatistics. When

you write as if your reader is a novice, this will force you to be very detailed in your explanations, and

will help you to write in a much clearer and well-thought-out manner.

Inferential Analysis

After you have written up the findings for your descriptive data analysis, your next step is to conduct

inferential data analysis and report those findings. Now you are moving from just describing the

individual variables of interest to investigating whether there are statistically significant relationships

among your variables of interest. These inference tests will help you answer your main research

question.

The purpose of this assignment is to provide a second rough draft of another main section of your

analysis paper (the inferential statistics), so that you can receive feedback on your methods. Your

inferential data analysis should include more than one inferential test. This could just be an ANOVA

with an examination of the overall F-test and discussion of the post-hoc tests. It could also be a chi-

square and a logistic regression. Any of the tests of inference discussed in Chapters 7 and 9 of your

textbook are fair game for you to use.

Please use the following as a guideline for what you are required to include in the paper and how your

paper will be graded:

Criteria Maximum Points Possible

Introduction:

a) Short description of your research question and its relevance to

public health – it is recommended to do a quick literature

review and include information from other peer-reviewed

journal articles to support the statements you are making

regarding this paper [Remember that if you use any outside

sources for this paper, that you cite them, APA-style, in the

Reference section at the end of the paper (before the

Appendix)]

b) Statement of the dataset you will use to answer the question

and a short description of the parent study that this dataset

originated from

10 points

a) 5 points

b) 5 points

Methods:

a) Names of the variables you will use to answer the research

question

b) Descriptions of the variables you will use to answer the

research question

c) Description of the descriptive statistics methodology [(1)

Describe the SAS analyses you did to produce descriptive

statistics that summarize the study sample based upon the

characteristics (variables) you are interested in; (2) Discuss

why you chose these methods (should be based upon the

variables you are using and the question you are answering)]

d) Description of the inferential statistics methodology [(1)

Describe the SAS analyses you did to produce the inferential

statistics that assess the relationships between/among the

characteristics (variables) that you are investigating in order to

answer your research question for the study sample; (2)

Discuss why you chose these methods (this should be based

20 points

a) 5 points

b) 5 points

c) 5 points

d) 5 points

upon the variables you are using and the question you are

answering)]

Discussion:

a) Discussion of the results of the descriptive statistics analysis

done using SAS [(1) Report the appropriate statistics for

numeric variables, based upon whether the variable is normal

or skewed; (2) Report the appropriate statistics for categorical

variables; (3) Present graphical (visual) representations of each

variable of interest, AND make sure to discuss/explain what

the graph means within the discussion section. You can copy

and paste this graph or chart directly from SAS into the body

of your paper; (4) Present a table of results within the body of

your paper that summarizes all the descriptive statistics you

have discussed in your results section. Make sure to create

your own table; DO NOT just copy and paste a table from

SAS into your paper]

b) Discussion of the results of the inferential statistics analysis

done using SAS [This must be done for EACH test you run

in SAS: (1) State the null and alternate hypotheses for each test

of inference; (2) State the appropriate test statistic SAS will

calculate for that particular test (i.e., t-values, z-values, chi-

square values, F-values, r-values, or β-values); (3) State the

decision rule – when working in SAS you should be using

either the p-value decision rule OR the confidence interval

decision rule; (4) Report the test-statistic value produced by

SAS; (5) State the conclusion regarding the null hypothesis

and how you reached this conclusion (the statistical evidence);

then, based on your conclusion, answer the original research

question]

45 points

a) 20 points

b) 25 points

Conclusion: 10 points

a) 5 points

a) State the final conclusions of what you’ve learned about your

study sample, based upon the findings from your descriptive

statistics analysis; discuss how these findings relate to the

original research question

b) State the final conclusions of what you’ve learned about your

study sample from your inferential statistics analysis, and

answer the original research question based upon these

findings

b) 5 points

Proper grammar and sentence structure used for clear and concise

writing

5 points

SAS Results that show where the results you are actually reporting

came from should be printed out into RTF format and the sections

where you directly obtained results should be highlighted, so that it is

clear to see where you obtained your final answers

5 points

SAS Codes used for your analyses (copied and pasted into the

Appendix of your paper)

5 points

TOTAL SCORE 100 points

PLEASE REMEMBER:

 Your paper should be in APA format – that is, double-spaced, with a title page, header with

page number, and 1 inch margins on all sides. You can find a good reference to APA style here:

https://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/560/01/

 A data dictionary has been created for these three datasets, which will give you detailed

information about the variables available for you to use in these datasets for your analysis

project. The data dictionary can be found on the class website.

 Additional resources to help you with the data analysis (SAS coding) AND writing process for

your analysis project can be found on Blackboard. You have many resources to help you with

this project. It is up to you to use them.

Paper Length

The length of your paper should be a minimum of 5 pages, double-spaced (not including tables, graphs,

or charts). After 10 pages I will stop reading (seriously). If it is much less than 5 pages, you probably left

something important out. If it is over 10 pages, you are probably going off-topic.

Descriptive Tables

You can, and should, add tables (that you create) to your paper, but make sure you have achieved your

minimum of 6 pages of text. In other words, do not use visual representations of your findings as filler

for your paper. I will be able to notice any attempts to pad your paper. Tables are a good way to illustrate

what you are writing about in your Discussion section, and you must make sure to clearly discuss any

tables presented in your paper.

Tables are a good way to illustrate what you are writing about in your Discussion section. Any results

or findings you present in a table, within the body of your paper, must be explained and discussed.

SAS Codes & Output Submission

It is important that you submit your SAS Codes and Output, so that I can make sure you have run the

proper analyses. This is a way to double-check your work, and it is necessary. Your output will take up

many pages, but your code should just take a few pages.

Copying Codes

To copy your SAS Codes in order to submit them, highlight the codes you want and copy them by

pressing and holding the “Ctrl” key and depressing the ”C” key simultaneously on your keyboard if

using Windows Operating System.

If you are using the Mac Operating System, highlight the codes you want and copy them by pressing and

holding the “Command” key and depressing the ”C” key simultaneously on your keyboard if using

Windows Operating System.

Pasting Codes

Open a Word document and position the mouse cursor where you want to paste the text you previously

copied. Press the “Ctrl” (or “Command”) key and the “V” key simultaneously to paste the text.

Once you have copied and pasted all your codes to the document, you can save it and submit it in the

Dropbox.

Printing SAS Results in SAS Studio

These steps for printing can be carried out for SAS Results and should be used when submitting

your Results and Code with the final paper.

How to Insert Symbols (Greek Letters) into Your Document (Microsoft Word

Only)

How to Create Equations in Your Document (Microsoft Word Only)