CJ 481

Criminal Justice Statistics

Fall 2002

Robert T. Sigler, 348-7781, 553-3897, rsigler@cj.as.ua.edu.

Home page: bama.ua.edu/~rsigler/home

Text SPSS 11.0 Guide to Data Analysis, Prentice Hall, Marija J. Norusis

August 22 Introduction and study

27 Questionnaire

29 codebook

Sept. 3 Writing a Program in the lab code book due

5 frequencies in the lab program due

10 missing values and cleaning the data in the lab frequencies due

12 Interpreting Frequencies

17 Transforming variables

19 Creating scales

24 Crosstabs routine

26 Interpreting crosstabs routine due

Oct. 1 t-test

3 Interpreting t-test t-test routine due

8 ANOVA routines

10 Interpreting ANOVA ANOVA routine due

15 GLM routine

17 Interpreting General Linear Model (routine due)

22 Review

24 exam

29 correlation routine

31 Interpreting correlation (routine due)

Nov. 5 Regression routine

7 Interpreting regression

Nov. 12-Dec. 3 Individual sessions

Dec 5 paper due

Course Requirements

You will analyze a set of data in this course. You will learn how to code data, how to prepare a codebook, how to write an SPSS program, how to interpret a range of statistics, and how to write a report of your findings. The paper in this course will be your analysis of the data file that I will provide along with a copy of the questionnaire.

Projects

Projects are usually printouts. In order to earn the points, the projects must be turned in on the day that they are due.

1. codebook 4 pts

2. program 4 pt

3. Frequencies 4 pts

4. Crosstabs 4 pts

5. t-test 3 pts

6. ANOVA 3 pts

7. correlation 3 pts

8. Regression 3 pts

9. General Linear Model 3 pts

Exam

The exam will cover the interpretation and use of the statistical procedures that are presented in the routines frequencies, crosstabs, t-test, ANOVA, and the General linear model.

Paper

The paper will present the findings from the study that you choose to present. You will need to report findings from each of the basic routines for a "c". For a "b" you will need to include either a regression or a GLM. For an "a" the findings which you report must focus on an issue of importance to you.

Course Evaluation

Projects 31

Exam 30

Paper 40

_______

l01

Class Format

The class will be very difficult. In order to complete your paper on time, you must write sections of your paper each week. While there is no attendance policy, you are encouraged to attend all classes as we will discuss the preparation of the programs that you will need to use the computer and interpretation of the statistics that you will need to write the paper. If you attend class, I will spend as much time as needed with you to help you learn the material. Chances are good that you will fail the course if you do not attend class regularly. If you get behind in this class you cannot catch up so the due dates for the projects are firm. You loose one point each day the project is late. If at any time you fall two projects behind, you will be asked to drop the course. Because of the nature of the course there are no excused absences.

This course is difficult because of the volume of work required. During the first weeks you will need to devote from 10 to 20 hours to figuring out how to use the computer. The more you know about computers or keyboarding the easier this part of the course will be for you. The statistics in this section are easy to understand and interpret. The last section of the course is very easy in terms of using the computer but will cover statistical procedures that are relatively difficult to understand and use. This course is non-computational. That is, the computer will do all of the math for you. You will need to learn how to make the computer work for you and how to interpret the information that the computer provides.

Exam

CJ 48l

Criminal Justice Statistics

Spring l994

1. How do you interpret Kurtosis?

2. When do you use Sommer's D?

3. How do you interpret Spearman's Rho?

4. When do you use the t-test?

5. What are the assumptions for the use of Pearsons r?

6-10. Interpret the following tables: