final yr sociology-quant research methods

stardust_dublin

Anyone one else lost in this module or am i the only one? Missed the first few lectures/workshops... what's the research project we're meant to be doing??

bigslick

Hey man, did this module last year.

If this is the same one then ya shud be using a book by Babbie, called something like how to use SPSS or something, and using the SPSS programme am i right?

FledNanders

I've only missed one workshop and I'm lost as ****!
Can't get the book anywhere either. Every one I've tried to get on Amazon wont deliver to Ireland.

Read the full course outline and it tells you pretty much exactly what you have to do for the project. I haven't a clue where to start though, can't pick a topic and don't know what topics are acceptable and don't really know what we're supposed to write or if there's a set format or what. I am adrift.

bigslick

Yeah i remember that module alright, was the bain of my existence.

The book is difficult to get but just order one in the campus bookstore, fastest way ull get it to be honest. was about 60 bills last year.

Basically what ya have to do is conduct a piece of research using spss and data sets that are given to you. last year they were from the european survey of households. you then pick a research area. i choice the area of division of household labour, (ie who does most of housework, male or female)

ya then take a few variables and run them thru SPSS to form cross tabulations (tables) then ya analyse these to see findings.

naturally this is a very brief description of the project. also the project is divided into 2 different projects to hand in. first one basically what ur going to do (research plan) and second one is the massive part (approx. 5,000 words).

Villaricos

did this course last year..

Go to the computer labs! Go to the seminars! Seriously you got to go them or you will be sooooo lost. the lectures are useless and the overheads will be on blackboard.

You will be stressing about this stupid project two weeks before your finals and the only people in the computer labs around you will be other stress 3rd year Sociology students!

I have the Babbie book Fled, if you want it, drop me a PM, Im still around UCD.

stardust_dublin

ok, so the research topic we pick will be in the european household survey? so that means all the statistics are already there right and we just have to talk about them? If its around 5,000 words i presume we have to back up what we're saying with references and research?
dont know where to start either, or even what way the layout is meant to be.

bigslick

As Villaricos says, you MUST go to the seminars and workshops. MUST. if you do not you will be completly lost. If you feel u are way behind and need help, email the lecturer/tutor and ask to meet up to discuss what you have to do.

Chakar

I'm doing this module this year and I've attended all the workshops and seminars so far. As for the book 'Adventures in Social Research Data Analysis using SPSS 11.0/11.5 for Windows' by Earl Babbie, Fred Halley and Jeanne Zaino, I photocopied it.

I'm using the ISSP Environment dataset and I've finalised my research question and the variables both dependent and independent.

I did Sociology of Environment last semester so I know what my theoretical readings will be.

All I can say is sit down with the datasets, look at a particular topic and find two variables that fit together at least for the first project. Also if you haven't gone to the workshops and seminars at this stage, then do. I guess it's better late than never.

dirtydress

Did that last year too. Its a nightmare but as everyone has said go to the seminars and the workshops!! its so important and you'll definitely have a few meetings with your tutor before the end of the year! Its really hard but just make sure you go to classes. Lectures are definitely not essential...even the overheads are quite complicated. Seminars and Workshops...all the way!

I also have the book, essential reading to pass the course, if you or anyone needs it just PM me!

stardust_dublin

does anyone now how many variables we are meant to have for the 1st report?
whats the difference between dependent/independent variables?

Chakar

stardust_dublin wrote: »

does anyone now how many variables we are meant to have for the 1st report?
whats the difference between dependent/independent variables?

Independent variables are indicated to be the 'cause' effects of the dependent variables which are usually the question posed to the sample.

stardust_dublin

Ok thanks. is it up to chapter 7 in the spss book that we are to do for the 1st report?

Cannibal Ox

I missed my second tutorial, and I've been told by some people that I need a full literature review for the next one, and by others that I just need a proposal for the literature review. Does anyone know which one is right?

stardust wrote:

Ok thanks. is it up to chapter 7 in the spss book that we are to do for the 1st report?

Afaik you just need your frequency tables done, but I could be wrong...

Chakar

We just need univariate descriptive statistics for the first report showing the dependent and independent variables. The theoretical readings have to be linked to the research question and the variables.

FledNanders

Chakar wrote: »

We just need univariate descriptive statistics

what is this?

Chakar

FledNanders wrote: »

what is this?

The term 'univariate' is a term describing the frequency tables with the mean, mode etc. Descriptive statistics are graphs showing the representation of numbers into visual representations in bar and pie charts.

You should read DeVaus's book on 'Surveys in Social Research' 5th edition.

Chakar

A more detailed outline of the 1st project has been posted on Bb under Course Documents.

samsamson

I was thinking of picking Sociology in Arts next year until I read this thread.

Chakar

So you're going to take the experiences of a few members of boards.ie who haven't been attending their tutorials and lab tutorials or looking at the necessary readings (which are only a few chapters or so)? If they did they would have the necessary knowledge to tackle the project.

FledNanders

what type of graphs etc are people using for the first assignment?
Just frequency distribution tables or are we exopected to use more than that?

Cannibal Ox

I think we're supposed to use bar or pie charts to represent the frequency tables. I'm not sure if its pick one or the other though.

Chakar

I'm making good progress with the 1st assignment. How's everybody doing?

FledNanders

anyone know if this has to be bound in a folder or anything or can it just be handed up as normal like an essay?

stardust_dublin

does anyone know how specific the research question has to be?

Like i decided to do mine on the division of household labour. Is the question 'Who does the most housework, male or female?' acceptable?
Or does your research question have to incorporate the variables? i.e asking what the relationship between age/gender is to who does more housework....

Cannibal Ox

FledNanders wrote:

anyone know if this has to be bound in a folder or anything or can it just be handed up as normal like an essay?

Normal essay style. On which, anyone know where I can get a decent stapler? Mine doesn't staple anything more then ten pages...

stardust_dublin wrote:

Is the question 'Who does the most housework, male or female?' acceptable?

I think thats fine. Male/Female would be the independant variable/s, that alters the dependant variable/s, housework. Just make sure you have at least two dependant variables.

Chakar

I've been looking at the marking scheme for the 2nd research assignment. It looks like a significant amount of the assignment will be taken up with the bivariate analysis of the variables. I hope they put up a more detailed outline when we get back after the break.

When I submitted my research proposal assignment at 1.00pm Friday last, the administrator said there was still lot of people yet to submit their assignment.

Chakar

There's a detailed outline for the second project on Blackboard under 'Assignments'.

However there's one thing I'm not too clear about. Is the literature review the theoretical readings of the research problem?

stardust_dublin

I would say so. when do we get the results of the first assignment?

Chakar

I'm not sure. I couldn't attend my workshop on Tuesday. Your workshop tutor is the person marking the projects.

Cannibal Ox

I heard they're handing the results out in the workshops. I missed mine so I sent an email off to the workshop people about picking it up during their office hours.

stardust_dublin

how did everyone get on with the results of the 1st report? happy?

Chakar

Yeah I'm happy. But that's done and dusted anyway. Time to get these essays and a project done.

Chakar

So the 2nd assignment is due in next Monday, 28th April. Hoping to finish it before the weekend.

stardust_dublin

god i cant wait for the 28th..this assignment has really dragged on! around how many words is it supposed to be? i know its up to 20 pages, but a lot of those pages are diagrams/graphs.

Cannibal Ox

Don't think there's a word limit, just aim to get as close to twenty pages as possibe.

On the Crosstabs tables I've got percentages as well as 'count' (the number of people who replied). I can't remember but should I just have percentages?

Chakar

I've got the cumulative percentages as well as the count. I think both the percentages and the count are important for comparison. I seriously doubt that my workshop tutor would want just the cumulative percentages.

Chakar

I have to say I'm so bored with this project at the moment.

stardust_dublin

im way behind on this. can anyone explain to me how to do this...

topic - division household labour

i want to crosstab Males who are in full time employment with who prepares meals in the house.
and i want to crosstab females who are in full time employment with who prepares meals in the house.

how do i do this?

FledNanders

stardust_dublin wrote: »

im way behind on this. can anyone explain to me how to do this...

topic - division household labour

i want to crosstab Males who are in full time employment with who prepares meals in the house.
and i want to crosstab females who are in full time employment with who prepares meals in the house.

how do i do this?

go to analyze > descriptive statistics > crosstabs, then put the 2 variables in the 2 boxes and press ok (i think, i'm working from memory)

ShaneU

I hate this damn project, ridiculous how they throw something completely different at you in your final year, I'm terrible at numbers and graphs.

Chakar

FledNanders wrote: »

go to analyze > descriptive statistics > crosstabs, then put the 2 variables in the 2 boxes and press ok (i think, i'm working from memory)

That's correct. But the independent variable has to be the 'Row' and the dependent variable in the 'Column'.

To get the percentages you click on Cells in the Crosstabs pop-up window and click Rows with regard to the percentages.

Chapter 8 and 11 in Babbie 'Adventures in Social Research' will help.

stardust_dublin

thanks...but how do i isolate just male full time. the variable is employment status with either full time, part time, and unemployed. i just want to crosstab full time and males only

Chakar

stardust_dublin wrote: »

thanks...but how do i isolate just male full time. the variable is employment status with either full time, part time, and unemployed. i just want to crosstab full time and males only

You do that in the 'Variable View' screen under the column 'Missing'. Click on 'Missing' in the appropriate cell and enter the corresponding numbers of the labels for part time, unemployed etc under 'Discrete missing values' with the highest number to the lowest, from left to right. Then click 'OK' and run the crosstabulation again with males only.

stardust_dublin

ok thanks a million chakar, its becoming a lot clearer to me now

stardust_dublin

just sent you a PM chakar

Chakar

I answered your PM earlier today. Best of luck with the project guys.

Chakar

The chi-square test of significance is such a ****ing bitch.

Cannibal Ox

The whole thing is a ****ing bitch

I can't remember where the appendix goes, is it before or after the bibliography?

ShaneU

I'm gonna have to hand it in late, nowhere near finished.

Chakar

I've put my appendices after the bibliography.

stardust_dublin

handing mine in late too... im stuck on part 2. its a joke. i cant go any further in my assignment until i figure out how to do this part. the crosstabs are making no sense...i must be doing it wrong!!!! is there any staff around at all to help with SPSS??? think they are all gone home...