Analytical Thinking What This Course Is About: Using Elements Of Social Science To Critically Examine American Society. Goal: Becoming “American Mythbusters”

American Experience Analytical Thinking Purpose Of The Course –Fishing Metaphor Catch A Fish, Give It To A Person, It Feeds Them For A Day Teach A Person To Fish, They Feed Themselves For Life –You Are Being “Taught To Fish” Not Just About Memorizing Others’ Facts & Arguments Develop Analytical Skills –Construct Theories –Derive Hypotheses –Prepare Tests Of Hypotheses Apply Them To Research And Projects

Analytical Thinking: Applying Science –Science = “Knowledge” –Theory = “Connection Between Variables” –Differences Between Sciences Natural Science (Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Etc.) –Greater Control Over Subject Matter –Look For “Scientific Laws”: What ALWAYS Occurs –Example: Law Of Gravity Social Science (Psychology, Political Science, Sociology) –Less Control Over Subject Matter (Humans Hard To Test) –Look For Generalizations: What OFTEN Or USUALLY Occurs –Myth: Is There A Connection Between Level of Education And Income Level Among Individuals? American Experience Analytical Thinking

Science –Level of Education and Level of Income Myth »Are More Educated People ALWAYS Wealthier? »Are More Educated People NEVER Wealthier? »Are More Educated People GENERALLY Wealthier? –Theories Deliberately Abstract –Why: Can Apply To As Many Situations As Possible –But….Too Vague To Adequately Test Can Apply To Many Forms Education (High School, College, Post-Grad, Quality Of Education, Prestige Schools, etc.) Can Apply To Many Forms Of Income (Wealth, Salary, Wages, Benefits, Quality Of Life, etc.) American Experience Analytical Thinking

–Hypothesis Solution To Vague Theories Hypotheses Are More Specific, Testable Versions Of Theories Level of Education & Level of Income = Vague Theory Compare Whether A Person Went To College Or Not To A Person’s Annual Income = A Testable Hypothesis American Experience Analytical Thinking

Theories & Hypotheses –Connections Between Variables –Independent Variable: Causal Variable (I.V. = Does The Changing In Scientific Model) –Dependent Variable: Impacted Variable (D.V. = Whose Values Are Dependent Upon The Independent Variable’s Values – Was “Changed” By The Independent Variable) American Experience Analytical Thinking X (I.V.)  Y (D.V.)

–Myth Example Statement: People Who Are Better Educated Are Likely To Make More Money In A Year Than People Who Are Less Educated Independent Variable: Education Level Dependent Variable: Income Level –Exercise: Develop A Theory, Derive A Hypothesis From This Theory. Tell Me What The Independent And Dependent Variables Are. American Experience Analytical Thinking

American Experience Analytical Thinking Variables –Actual Student Answer On Exam: “The Independent Variable Is The Variable That Doesn’t Vary” (Note: This Amazing Answer Has Been Given SEVERAL TIMES!!!) –Variables MUST Vary (By Their Nature) –Right: Example of a Variable = Wrong (Not A Variable) = Education Level (Highest Degree)Education Level of IncomeMoney Type of Political IdeologyConservative SAT Scores (High Or Low)Testing Degree of Federalism (More/Less) Federal System Strength Of National Govt. (Degree)The Constitution Types Of Presidential PoliciesBill Clinton –Values Are The Various Positions A Variable May Take Ex: Level of Education = Variable; Values = Highest Education Level Obtained (Bachelor’s Degree, Some College, HS Degree, Some HS)

American Experience Analytical Thinking Theoretical Rationale: –WHY Does A Connection Exist Between The Independent Variable And Dependent Variable? –Why Are People Who Are Better Educated More Likely To Make More Money In A Year Than People? –Reasons Attaining The College Degree = Shows Determination The College Experience Makes You Smarter, Better Able To Take Advantage Of Economic Opportunities Many Jobs Require A Bachelor’s Degree Those Who Fail To Complete College Have Problems That Eventually Hamper Their Income Earnings –Exercise: Can You Come Up With Others? –Theories Tell You WHERE To Look In The Library And On JSTOR. They Guide Your Outline Development.

American Experience Analytical Thinking –Hypotheses Direction Of The Relationship –Positive: As The Independent Variable (X) “Increases,” The Dependent Variable (Y) Also “Increases” –Negative: As The Independent Variable (X) “Increases,” The Dependent Variable (Y) “Decreases” –Example »As X Increases (Person Has Passed More Education Grade Levels), Y Increases One’s Annual Income Increases »Positive Relationship: As One Passes More Education Grade Levels, One Is Likely To Have More Income / As One Has Passed Less Education Levels, One Is Likely To Have Less Income »Negative Relationship: As One Passes More Education Grade Levels, One Is Likely To Have Less Income / As One Has Passed Less Education Levels, One Is Likely To Have More Income »EXERCISE: FOR YOUR THEORY AND HYPOTHESIS, EXPLAIN WHETHER THIS RELATIONSHIP IS NEGATIVE OR POSITIVE, AND WHY. x x y y + x x yy -

–Testing Hypotheses Research Design –Define Your Variables In Your Hypothesis (Operationalization) »How Will We Define Education Levels? »How Will We Define Income Levels? –Which Cases Will Be Analyzed »What Years? »Which Sample Of People Will Be Drawn From The Population? Empirical Analysis –How Will The Test Be Conducted? »Count Cases? Compare Means (Averages)? »Correlation? Compare Observations & Expectations? »Uncover Historical Sources And Documents? American Experience Analytical Thinking

–Testing Hypotheses (The Specific Version Of The Myth) Our Findings –Count And Compare Cases Exercise: What Did We Find? Was There Support For A Positive Or Negative Relationship? Ratio of median annual earnings wage and salary workers ages whose highest education level was grades 9-11, some college, and a bachelor's degree or higher to those with high school diploma or GED, by sex: Data Source:

American Experience Analytical Thinking –Testing Hypotheses (The Specific Version Of The Myth) Our Findings –Count And Compare Cases Exercise: What Did We Find? Was There Support For A Positive Or Negative Relationship? Ratio of median annual earnings wage and salary workers ages whose highest education level was grades 9-11, some college, and a bachelor's degree or higher to those with high school diploma or GED, by sex: Can You Develop A Myth Or Theoretical Rationale For Why Women Do Even Worse Than Men For Those Without A High School Education?

–Testing Hypotheses Our Findings –“Don’t Use The Term PROVE Or PROOF Unless You Actually Do So!” –We Found A Relationship That Holds Under Very Limited Circumstances. Must Eliminate Other Factors, Test Other Findings. –PROOF Is For The Math & Natural Science Folks….For Now. American Experience Analytical Thinking

Benefits of Analytical Thinking –Makes The Scholar Simplify His Or Her Argument –Forces The Scholar To Specify The Argument What Do You Mean By …… What Is The Connection Between…… –Allows You To Speak A Common Language With Many Scholars From Many Disciplines –Learn A New Skill (Analytical Thinking) Think How To Think “Knowledge Is Good” (Animal House) Analytical Thinking Applies Knowledge –Cannot Learn ALL Facts –Figure Out Which Facts To Focus Upon American Experience Analytical Thinking

More Benefits of Analytical Thinking –Contribute To The Scientific Body Of Knowledge –Replicate, Or Rerun Prior Analyses, Often With New Methods & Tests –Service Learning: Take Analytical Thinking From The Classroom Apply Them In Service Of The Community