Principles of Data Management and Presentation

Informationen zum Autor John P. Hoffmann  is Professor of Sociology at Brigham Young University. Before arriving at BYU! he was a senior research scientist at the National Opinion Research Center (NORC)! a nonprofit firm affiliated with the University of Chicago. He received a master’s in Law and Justice from American University and a doctorate in Criminal Justice from SUNY–Albany. He also received a master’s in Public Health with emphases in Epidemiology and Behavioral Sciences at Emory University. His research addresses drug use! juvenile delinquency! and the sociology of religion.   Zusammenfassung The world is saturated with data. We are regularly presented with data in words! tables! and graphics. Students from many academic fields are now expected to be educated about data in one form or another. Yet the typical sequence of courses—introductory statistics and research methods—does not provide sufficient information about how to focus in on a research question! how to access data and work with datasets! or how to present data to various audiences.    Principles of Data Management and Presentation addresses this gap. Assuming only that students have some familiarity with basic statistics and research methods! it provides a comprehensive set of principles for understanding and using data as part of a research project! including: • how to narrow a research topic to a specific research question • how to access and organize data that are useful for answering a research question • how to use software such as Stata! SPSS! and SAS to manage data • how to present data so that they convey a clear and effective message   A companion website includes material to enhance the learning experience—specifically statistical software code and the datasets used in the examples! in text format as well as Stata! SPSS! and SAS formats. Visit  www.ucpress.edu/go/datamanagement!  Downloads tab.  Inhaltsverzeichnis Preface Acknowledgments 1 Why Research? Why Research What Is Research? Classifying Research Impediments to Conducting Sound Research How Can We Make Research Interesting and Persuasive? The Research Process Final Words 2 Developing Research Questions Selecting a Topic From Topic to Research Question Refining Research Questions An Example Final Words 3 Data What Are Data? Sources of Data From Concepts to Variables Forms of Data Final Words 4 Principles of Data Management Codebooks Documentation Coding Data Cleaning and Screening Naming Conventions Principles of File Management Final Words 5 Finding and Using Secondary Data Types of Secondary Data Why Use Secondary Data? Sources of Secondary Data Examples of Searching for! Downloading! and Importing Data A Simple Test of the Conceptual Model The Pew Research Center Data Final Words 6 Primary and Administrative Data Principles for Primary Data Administrative Data and Linking Datasets Final Words 7 Working with Missing Data Why Are Missing Data a Problem? Reasons for Missing Data Types of Missing Data Forms and Patterns of Missing Data Addressing Missing Data in the Analysis Stage Finals Words 8 Principles of Data Presentation Presenting Data Visual Images First Principles: Clarity! Precision! and Efficiency Why Words Are Not Enough Types of Tables and Graphics Principles of Data Presentation Final Words 9 Designing Tables for Data Presentations Table or...

Product details

• Authors: Dr. John P. Hoffmann, John P. Hoffmann
• Publisher: University Of California Press
• Languages: English
• Product format: Paperback / Softback
• Released: 31.07.2017
• EAN: 9780520289949
• ISBN: 978-0-520-28994-9
• No. of pages: 288
• Subjects: Natural sciences, medicine, IT, technology > Natural sciences (general); Social sciences, law, business > Sociology; SOCIAL SCIENCE / Research, SOCIAL SCIENCE / Statistics, Social research & statistics, Social research and statistics