MCCCD Official Course Competencies:

SWU225  2006 Fall – 2009 Spring

Statistics for Social Research/Justice and Government

1.

Define statistical terms related to social research. (I)

2.

Distinguish among different types of data and the scales used to measure them. (I)

3.

Distinguish between continuous and discrete variables. (I)

4.

Describe the concept of frequency distributions and their uses. (II)

5.

Describe techniques used in graphing frequency data. (II)

6.

Define central tendency and its measures. (III)

7.

Define dispersion and its measures. (IV)

8.

Describe the normal distribution and its characteristics. (V)

9.

Define z-scores and describe the method of deriving them. (V)

10.

Distinguish among classical, empirical, and subjective approaches to assigning probability values to outcomes and events. (VI)

11.

Describe formal properties of probability. (VI)

12.

Distinguish between definitions of probability for discrete and continuous variables. (VI)

13.

Describe the relationship of z-scores to probability. (VI)

14.

Describe the purpose of sampling and the relationship of a sample to the population. (VII)

15.

Explain the concept of estimating parameters from samples. (VII)

16.

Define sampling distribution. (VII)

17.

Define the standard error of the estimate and describe its relationship to the size of a sample. (VII)

18.

Describe the concept of hypothesis testing. (VIII)

19.

Define the terms alpha and confidence interval. (VIII)

20.

Define Type I and Type II errors and describe their relationship to alpha and confidence interval. (VIII)

21.

Distinguish among and describe significant tests related to the mean. (IX)

22.

Describe the concepts of correlation and simple linear regression. (X)

23.

Describe significance tests related to categorical (nominal) data. (XI)

MCCCD Official Course Outline:

SWU225  2006 Fall – 2009 Spring

Statistics for Social Research/Justice and Government

I. Introduction to Statistics

A. Definition

B. Common statistical terms related to social research

C. Types of data

D. Measurement scales

E. Continuous and discrete variables

II. Frequency Distributions and Graphing Techniques

A. Frequency distributions

B. Graphing techniques

III. Measures of Central Tendency

A. Mean

B. Mode

C. Median

IV. Measures of Dispersion

A. Range

B. Variance

C. Standard deviation

V. Normal Distribution

A. Characteristics

B. Z-scores

VI. Probability

A. Approaches

B. Formal properties

C. Discrete vs. continuous variables

D. Relationship to z-scores

VII. Sampling and Sampling Distributions

A. Purpose

B. Relationship of sample to population

C. Estimating parameters from samples

D. Sampling distributions

E. The standard error of the estimate

VIII. Hypothesis Testing

A. Null and alternative hypotheses

B. Alpha and confidence intervals

C. Types of errors

IX. Significance Tests Related to the Mean

A. Single sample

B. Independent samples

C. Matched samples

X. Correlation and Simple Linear Regression

A. Concept of correlation

B. Null and alternative hypotheses

C. Pearson r

D. Prediction and simple linear regression

XI. Chi Square (categorical or nominal data)

A. Goodness of fit (1 variable)

B. Test of independence (2 variables)