| CODE | SWP3157 | |||||||||
| TITLE | Further Tools for Quantitative Analysis for Social Policy and Welfare | |||||||||
| UM LEVEL | 03 - Years 2, 3, 4 in Modular Undergraduate Course | |||||||||
| MQF LEVEL | 6 | |||||||||
| ECTS CREDITS | 4 | |||||||||
| DEPARTMENT | Social Policy and Social Work | |||||||||
| DESCRIPTION | Aims The aim of this study-unit is to provide students with the necessary tools to be able to deal effectively with quantitative research. It will help students from three perspectives: adding the theoretical knowledge of statistical techniques; learning how to use specialized statistical software; and knowing the important aspects of how to collect data. It will start by presenting SPSS and spreadsheet programs as a means to facilitate calculation of the numerical values and producing of graphical representations discussed in SWP2154. Then we move on to discussing hypothesis testing from a theoretical and applied perspective. Finally we discuss the main procedures of correctly collecting data and how to present a statistical report. By the end of the study-unit, students should understand the main statistical concepts and be able to collect, analyse and report their dissertation data through the use of computer software, namely SPSS and spreadsheet solutions. The aims can be further specified as follows: - To help students understand how to make decisions on chance events. - To provide students with the basic concepts of hypothesis testing (Z-Test; T-Test, One-Way ANOVA, Chi –Square). - To choose statistical methods most appropriate for different scenarios according to the assumptions underlying the given models. - To prepare students on the necessary conditions and possibilities for bias in a statistical report such as interviewer bias and questioning techniques. - To support student’s IT fluency especially in the stages of a quantitative dissertation (inputting, managing and analyzing data). Content - Inputting, sorting, filtering and merging data through SPSS. - Graphical and numerical descriptive techniques through spreadsheet software and SPSS. - Calculation of probabilities of a certain values in a normal distribution with a given mean and standard deviation. - Statistical Hypothesis Testing for a single mean through the z-test. - Statistical Hypothesis Testing for a single mean through the t-test. - Hypothesis Testing for the Pearson correlation coefficient. - Confidence interval estimation for a true population mean. - Hypothesis Testing for two-sample means: the independent samples t-test and the related samples t-test - Hypothesis Testing for two or more means: The One-Way Analysis of Variance (ANOVA). - Hypothesis Testing for nominal data: Chi Square Test. - Hypothesis Testing through SPSS: the main computational procedures for all theoretical hypothesis testing techniques covered. - Knowledge and use of the P-Value. - Sampling - Causation Compulsory Text - Heiman, G.W. (2004) Basic Statistics for the behavioral sciences (4th Ed.). Boston: Houghton- Mifflin. Suggested Reading Texts - Bryman, A. & Cramer, D. (2004). Quantitative Data Analysis with SPSS 12 And 13: A Guide for Social Scientists. London: Routledge. - Bryman, A. (2004). Social Research Methods. Oxford: Oxford University Press. - Huff, D. & Geis, I. How to lie with Statistics. New York: WW Norton. - Kranzler, J. H. (2003). Statistics for the Terrified (3rd Ed.) NJ, Upper Saddle River: Prentice-Hall. - Newbold, P., Carlson, W.P. & Thorne, B. (2003). Statistics for Business and Economics (5th Edition). New Jersey: Prentice Hall. - Wackerly, D. D., Mendenhall III, W. & Scheaffer, R. L. (2002). Mathemetical Statistics with Applications. Pacific Grove, USA: Duxbury. |
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| RULES/CONDITIONS | In THE SAME YEAR AS TAKING THIS UNIT YOU MUST TAKE SWP2154 | |||||||||
| ADDITIONAL NOTES | Study-Unit Requirements - Students should have passed (or attempted to pass) SWP2154. - Students should be conversant with basic IT software such as spreadsheets and word processors, Ideally students should have a pass - In Ordinary/Intermediate/Advanced level IT or Computing; or - In at least 4 ECDL modules; or - Any qualification equivalent to the ones above. This level of knowledge will be assumed. |
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| STUDY-UNIT TYPE | Lecture | |||||||||
| METHOD OF ASSESSMENT |
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| LECTURER/S | Amanda Mangion |
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The University makes every effort to ensure that the published Courses Plans, Programmes of Study and Study-Unit information are complete and up-to-date at the time of publication. The University reserves the right to make changes in case errors are detected after publication.
The availability of optional units may be subject to timetabling constraints. Units not attracting a sufficient number of registrations may be withdrawn without notice. It should be noted that all the information in the description above applies to study-units available during the academic year 2025/6. It may be subject to change in subsequent years. |
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