Preface
Acknowledgements
Part I - The Research Process and Data Collection
Chapter 1 - The Research Process
1.1 Introduction
1.2 Read the Literature and Identify Gaps or Ways to Extend the Literature
1.3 Examine the Theory
1.4 Develop Your Research Questions and Hypotheses
1.5 Develop Your Research Method
1.6 Analyze the Data
1.7 Write the Research Paper
Exercises
References
Chapter 2 - Sampling Techniques
2.1 Introduction
2.2 Sample Design
2.3 Selecting a Sample
2.3.1 Probability and Nonprobability Sampling
2.3.2 Identifying a Sampling Frame
2.3.3 Determining the Sample Size
2.3.4 Sample Selection Methods
2.4 Sampling Weights
2.4.1 Calculating Sampling Weights
2.4.2 Using Sampling Weights
Exercises
References
Chapter 3 - Questionaire Design
3.1 Introduction
3.2 Structured and Semi-Structured Questionnaires
3.3 Open- and Closed-Ended Questions
3.4 General Guidelines for Questionnaire Design
3.5 Designing the Questions
3.5.1 Question Order
3.5.2 Phrasing the Questions
3.6 Recording Responses
3.6.1 Responses in the Form of Continuous Variables
3.6.2 Responses in the Form of Categorical Variables
3.7 Skip Patterns
3.8 Ethical Issues
Exercises
References
Part II - Describing Data
Chapter 4 - An Introduction to Stata
4.1 Introduction
4.2 Opening Stata and Stata Windows
4.2.1 Results Window
4.2.2 Review Window
4.2.3 Command Window
4.2.4 Variables Window
4.2.5 Properties Window
4.3 Working With Existing Data
4.4 Entering Your Own Data Into Stata
4.5 Using Log Files and Saving Your Work
4.6 Getting Help
4.6.1 Help Command
4.6.2 Search Command
4.6.3 Stata Website
4.6.4 UCLA's Institute for Digital Research and Education Website
4.7 Summary of Commands Used in This Chapter
Exercises
Chapter 5 - Preparing and Transforming Your Data
5.1 Introduction
5.2 Checking for Outliers
5.3 Creating New Variables
5.3.1 Generate
5.3.2 Using Operators
5.3.3 Recode
5.3.4 Egen
5.4 Missing Values in Stata
5.5 Summary of Commands Used in This Chapter
Exercises
References
Chapter 6 - Descriptive Statistics
6.1 Introduction
6.2 Types of Variables and Measurement
6.3Descriptive Statistics for All Types of Variables: Frequency Tables and Modes
6.3.1 Frequency Tables
6.3.2 Mode
6.4 Descriptive Statistics for Variables Measured as Ordinal, Interval, and Ratio Scales: Median and Percentiles
6.4.1 Median
6.4.2 Percentiles
6.5 Descriptive Statistics for Categorical Variables: Mean, Variance, St
andard Deviation, and Coefficient of Variation
6.5.1 Mean
6.5.2 Variance and Standard Deviation
6.5.3 Coefficient of Variation
6.6 Descriptive Statistics for Categorical Variables Measured on a Nominal or Ordinal Scale: Cross Tabulation
6.7 Applying Sampling Weights
6.8 Formatting Output for Use in a Document (Word, Google Docs, etc.)
6.9 Graphs to describe data
6.9.1 Bar Graphs
6.9.2 Box Plots
6.9.3 Histograms
6.9.4 Pie Charts
6.10 Summary of Commands Used in This Chapter
Exercises
References
Part III - Testing Hypotheses
Chapter 7 - The Normal Distributions
7.1 Introduction
7.2 The Normal Distribution and Standard Scores
7.3 Sampling Distributions and Standard Errors
7.4 Examining the Theory and Identifying the Research Question and Hypothesis
7.5 Testing for Statistical Significance
7.6 Rejecting or Not Rejecting the Null Hypothesis
7.7 Interpreting the Results
7.8 Central Limit Theorem
7.9 Presenting the Results
7.10 Summary of Commands Used in This Chapter
Exercises
References
Chapter 8 - Testing a Hypothesis About a Single Mean
8.1 Introduction
8.2 When to Use the One-Sample t Test
8.3 Calculating the One-Sample t Test
8.4 Conducting a One-Sample t Test
8.5 Interpreting the Output
8.6 Presenting the Results
8.7 Summary of Commands Used in This Chapter
Exercises
References
Chapter 9 - Testing a Hypothesis About Two Independent Means
9.1 Introduction
9.2 When to Use a Two Independent-Samples t Test
9.3 Calculating the t Statistic
9.4 Conducting a t Test
9.5 Interpreting the Output
9.6 Presenting the Results
9.7 Summary of Commands Used in This Chapter
Exercises
References
Chapter 10 - One-Way Analysis of Variance
10.1 Introduction
10.2 When to Use One-Way ANOVA
10.3 Calculating the F Ratio
10.4 Conducting a One-Way ANOVA Test
10.5 Interpreting the Output
10.6 Is One Mean Different or Are All of Them Different?
10.7 Presenting he Results
10.8 Summary of Commands Used in This Chapter
Exercises
References
Chapter 11 - Cross Tabulation and the Chi-Squared Test
11.1 Introduction
11.2 When to Use the Chi-Squared Test
11.3 Calculating the Chi-Square Statistic
11.4 Conducting a Chi-Squared Test
11.5 Interpreting the Output
11.6 Presenting the Results
11.7 Sumary of Commands Used in This Chapter
Exercises
References
Part IV - Exploring Relationships
Chapter 12 - Linear Regression Analysis
12.1 Introduction
12.2 When to Use Regression Analysis
12.3 Correlation
12.4 Simple Regression Analysis
12.5 Multiple Regression Analysis
12.6 Presenting the Results
12.7 Summary of Commands Used in This Chapter
Exercises
References
Chapter 13 - Regression Diagnostics
13.1 Introduction
13.2 Measurement Error
13.3 Specification Error
13.3.1 Types of Specification Errors
13.3.2 Diagnosing Specification Error
13.3.3 Correcting Specification Error
13.4 Multicollinearity
13.5 Heteroscedasticity
13.6 Endogeneity
13.7 Nonnormality
13.8 Presenting the Results
13.9 Summary of Commands Used in This Chapter
References
Chapter 14 - Regression Analysis With Categorical Dependent Variables
14.1 Introduction
14.2 When to Use Logit or Probit Analysis
14.3 Understanding the Logit Model
14.4 Running Logit and Interpreting the Results
14.4.1 Running Logit Regression in Stata
14.4.2 Interpreting th Results of a Logit Model
14.5 Logit Versus Probit Regression Models
14.6 Regression Analysis With Other Types of Categorical Dependent Variables
14.7 Presenting the Results
14.8 Summary of Commands Used in This Chapter
Exercises
References
Part V - Writing A Research Paper
Chapter 15 - Writing A Research Paper
15.1 Introduction
15.2 Introduction Section of a Research Paper
15.3 Literature Review
15.4 Theory, Data, and Methods
15.5 Results
15.5.1 Logical Sequence
15.5.2 Tables, Figures, and Numbers
15.5.3 Reporting Results From Statistical Tests
15.5.4 Active Versus Passive Voice and the Use of First-Person Pronouns
15.6 Discussions
15.7 Conclusions
Exercises
References
Appendices
Appendix 1 - Quick Reference Guide to Stata Commands
Appendix 2 - Summary of Statistical Tests by Chapter
Appendix 3 - Decision Tree for Choosing the Right Statistic
Appendix 4 - Decision Rules for Statistical Significance
Appendix 5 - Areas Under the Normal Curve (Z Scores)
Appendix 6 - Critical Values of the t Distribution
Appendix 7 - Stata Code for Random Sampling
Appendix 8 - Examples of Nonlinear Functions
Appendix 9 - Estimating the Minimum Sample Size
Glossary
About the Authors
Name Index
Subject Index
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