1. How to Create a Unique Statistics Project that Students will Enjoy: Part II
Dr. Jennifer Bready
Associate Professor of Mathematics
Mount Saint Mary College

2. Mount Saint Mary College
Small liberal arts college
Located in the Hudson Valley, NY
Large education, business, and nursing programs (including Master’s programs for each)

3. MTH 207 Elementary Statistics
Required for:
Business majors
Nursing majors
Psychology majors
Recommended for science majors
SPSS is integrated throughout the course

4. Final Project 30% of overall grade No final exam
Students involved from day one
Goal of course: for students to be able to apply and understand statistics

5. Six Step Process Decide on a topic. Write the questions.
Create the survey.
Gather the data.
Compile the data.
Analyze the results.

6. Example Timeline 15 Week Semester Week 1: Topic Ideas
Week 2: Submit questions
Week 3: Write survey and get student feedback
Weeks 4-6: Give students the surveys to gather the data

7. Example Timeline Weeks 7-8/9: Compile data and return to students
Weeks 9-13/14: Students write paper, due one week before end of semester
Weeks 14-15: Grade and return to students

8. Step 4: Gathering the Data
25% of project grade
Each student required to complete 6-10 surveys
Students must set up the variables in SPSS and enter the data
Students turn in:
Data on disk
Printout of data view
Printout of variable view
Completed surveys

9. Step 5: Compiling the Data
Cut and paste data from disks to one large SPSS data set ( surveys)
Run frequencies and make corrections; identify surveys with problems
Grade students based on variable set up (measure and labels) and any mistakes in data entry
Place data on network drive
Time consuming!

10. Step 6: Writing the Paper
Students may work alone or in pairs (must decide in advance and let me know in writing)
Must follow explicit instructions
Freedom to choose the variables they wish to analyze

11. Step 6: Writing the Paper
No SPSS printout other than graphs and contingency tables
Focus is on interpretation
Students must be able to apply appropriate statistical tests for different types of variables

12. Paper Requirements Introduction – 25 points Data Analysis – 50 points
Summary – 15 points
Format – 10 points
Optional creativity – bonus points!

13. Introduction Purpose Population Procedure for gathering sample
Whether they believe the sample is random
Demographics of the sample, giving frequencies and relative frequencies
One other reference
Identify sources of bias
Decide if survey can be generalized to the population

14. Data Analysis Choose at least five different variables to analyze
two must be quantitative
Use appropriate measure of central tendency and variation
Create two contingency tables and analyze
tables must be included

15. Data Analysis
Report at least one significant correlation and interpret
Answer specific t-test questions, or create and answer one of their own
Include two different graphs on different variables
Can be in data analysis or introduction
Must explain graphs

16. Summary Write a conclusion summarizing your results
Include suggestions or recommendations for further study

17. Format Typed, double spaced
No SPSS printout of correlation, t-tests, or small frequency tables
Must be spell-checked and proofread
Creative papers awarded additional points

18. Ready for some creative examples?
Why allow creativity?
Students become more involved
Makes reading them a little less monotonous 
Students are told creativity cannot make up for poor statistics!
Ready for some creative examples?

19. For more information… Dr. Jennifer Bready Division of Math/CS
330 Powell Ave
Newburgh, NY 12550