Directions:
You
are required to do a group project in which methods of statistics are actually
applied to real life data collected by students. A list of suggested topics follows. Some of these topics can be addressed by actually conducting
experiments, while others might require researching results already obtained.
Oral Report:
Your
group is required to do a 5 to 10 minute-long oral report.
The class presentation should involve all group members in a coordinated
effort to clearly describe the important components of the study.
Written Report:
Your
group must submit a typewritten report that includes the following components:
1.
List of data collected.
2.
Description of the method of collecting data and the sampling technique
used.
3.
Analysis of data. Include important statistics such as:
3.
Relevant graphs including Excel-generated graphs or TI-83 displays.
·
Construct a histogram to determine the nature or shape of the
distribution whether it is bell-shaped, uniform or skewed.
·
For qualitative or categorical data, construct Pareto charts or pie
graphs.
4.
Description and explanation of the hypothesis test or other statistical
tests involved (if any).
5.
Statement of conclusions.
6. Reasons why the results might not be correct, along with a description of ways in which the study could be improved, given more time and money.
Suggested
Topics:
1.
Are the
ages of student cars different than those of faculty?
If so, how?
2.
Is the
proportion of foreign cars the same for students and faculty?
3.
Is there
a relationship between hours studied and grades earned?
4.
Is there
a relationship between hours worked and grades earned?
5.
Is there
a relationship between taste and cost of different brands of cola?
(Taste can be measured on some scale, such as 1 to 10)
6.
Is there
a difference in taste between Pepsi and Coke?
7.
A
comparison of the numbers of credit cards carried by males and females.
8.
A
comparison of the number of keys carried by males and females.
9.
A
comparison of GPAs of statistics students versus students not taking statistics.
10.
Is there
a difference between the GPAs of female and male students in a Calculus class?
11.
A study
of the sampling techniques used in Census 2000.
12.
Is there
a relationship between student grade-point averages and the amount of television
watched? If so, what is it?
13.
Is there
a relationship between a person’s annual income and length of service?
If so what is it?
14.
Is there
a relationship between the lengths of men’s feet and their heights?
15.
Is there
a relationship between the lengths of women’s feet and their heights?
16.
Is there
a relationship between the heights of fathers and the heights of their first
sons?
17.
Is there
a relationship between the heights of mothers and the heights of their first
daughters?
18.
Is there
a relationship between car fuel consumption rates and car weights?
If so, what is it?
19.
Is there
a relationship between a person’s height and arm span?
20.
Is there
a relationship between pulse rate and height? If so, what is it?
21.
Are
husband/wife age differences the same for young married couples as for older
married couples?
22.
Is there
a relationship between smoking and drinking coffee?
Designing
A Statistical Study:
1. Identify the exact question to be answered and clearly identify the relevant population.
2. Develop a plan for collecting data. The plan should describe in detail the method to be used to collect the data. It should be carefully designed so that the data are representative of the population in question.
3. Collect the data. Be extremely careful to minimize errors that result in a biased collection of data.
4. Analyze the data and draw conclusions. Identify possible sources of errors.