Quantitative Reasoning Assignment
Quantitative Reasoning Assignment
For this Assignment:
Write a 1- to 2-page summary and include the following:
- Early in your Assignment, when you relate which dataset you analyzed, please include the mean of the following variables. If you are using the Afrobarometer Dataset, report the mean of Q1 (Age). If you are using the HS Long Survey Dataset, report the mean of X1SES.
- A description of what the each of the variables measure.
- A description of the unit of analysis.
- A description and explanation of the levels of measurement for each variable (i.e., nominal, ordinal, interval, ratio).
- Explain how you might conceive these variables to be used to answer a social change question. What might be the implications for social change? Quantitative Reasoning Assignment
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Support your summary using appropriate scholarly citations and references. Use proper APA format
Variables, Measurement, and SPSS
The purpose of nursing research is to identify gaps in practice through and evidence-
based review of the literature and to design research that will provide new knowledge to support
nursing science. Developing a research proposal requires the researcher to perform several
complex steps to generate new evidence. Each step must conform to accepted research
guidelines. To be successful, the researcher must understand these steps and have the knowledge
to ensure that each step is followed correctly (Frankfort-Nachmias & Leon-Guerrero, 2018). This
paper will identify and describe two variables from the Afrobarometer dataset. The variables
chosen for this assignment are, Q3b, “Your present living conditions” (Variable 1), and Q8c,
“How often gone without medical care” (Variable 2) (Walden University, 2018). In addition,
how each variable might be used to answer a social change question and the implications for
social change will also be described. Quantitative Reasoning Assignment
Characteristics
The Afrobarometer data set (Walden University, 2018) was queried using IBM SPSS
statistical software, Version 24. Variable 1 measures respondent’s present living conditions. The
individual is the unit of analysis (Frankfort-Nachmias & Leon-Guerrero, 2018). The level of
measurement is rank ordered and is therefore ordinal (Heavey, 2018). It is constructed on a 5
point pre-coded Likert scale ranked from 1-very bad to 5=very good. It also includes coded
responses -1=missing, 9= don’t know and 998=refused.
Variable 2 measures how often respondent has gone without medical care. The individual
is the unit of analysis (Frankfort-Nachmias & Leon-Guerrero, 2018). The level of measurement
is rank ordered and is therefore ordinal (Heavey, 2018). It is constructed on a 5 point pre-coded
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Likert scale ranked from 0=never to 4=always. It also includes coded responses -1=missing, 9=
don’t know and 998=refused.
Social Change
The variables were selected because they have a direct relationship to social change as
stated in the Walden Social Change mission which includes making a difference by addressing
challenges where we live, where we work and in the global community (Walden University,
2017, p.7). Both of these variables, your present living conditions and how often gone without
medical care are directly related to helping the researcher understand the current state or
conditions impacting this population. This data would be important to support initiatives to
improve living conditions and access to medical care.
Conclusion
To participate fully in social science research, one must understand how to correctly
apply the principals of statistics. Statistical analysis done correctly will lean toward accurate
results. Not every researcher will become a statistician, but every researcher must understand
statistics. Quantitative Reasoning Assignment
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References
Frankfort-Nachimias, C. & Leon-Guerrero, A. (2018). Social statistics for a diverse society. (8th
ed.). SAGE Publications
Heavey, E. (2018). Statistics for nursing: A practical approach. (3rd ed.). Jones and Bartlett
Learning
Walden University. (2017). Social change at Walden. In 2017-2018
Walden University catalog. http://catalog.waldenu.edu/mime/media/149/4598/Sept_Cat_
2017.pdf Quantitative Reasoning Assignment