Advanced Data Analysis Assignment

Welcome to Advanced Data Analysis. This semester our goal is to fully understand how each doctoral student will analyze his/her dissertation results and to give you some basic analysis skills that can be used after you complete your doctoral degree. This assignment focuses on quantitative analysis when comparing pre-test/post test data, particularly when looking at two groups. The assignment is explained below.

You can find the following resources on Canvas for this assignment:

• Data set needed to complete Part 1
• Powerpoint/lecture with a flow chart and information to help you decide between various statistical tests (you will use this throughout the course)
• Descriptive analyses for comparison purposes for Part 2

After the assignment is due, you will have access to the results I obtained so that you can compare with the results you obtained.

Assignment Part 1

A group of NNU faculty (Werth, Werth, & Hill, 2012) recently completed a study addressing technology barriers and use among Idaho teachers. A total of 197 teachers completed the survey. See the SPSS results attached with this assignment and the survey instrument itself which is attached as a Word document. Those of you who will use an electronic Qualtrics survey will need to export the data into SPSS for analysis. Your spreadsheet will look very similar to the example in this problem.

Use this assignment to learn about the SPSS sheet, especially for those of you who will be utilizing an electronic Qualtrics survey. Make sure that you look at the Variable View in addition to the Data View. Notice the likert scale data and how it is exported in SPSS. Review the data and briefly explain the data sheet. Take note of how the variables are coded. Identify 3-5 things that will be key for you to remember or pay attention to when you download your own data.

Assignment Part 2

Mr. Brown is conducting a research study to find out whether there is a difference in ISAT scores for several groups of students. Mr. Brown implemented a reading intervention program for a group of elementary students and has designated these students the "Experimental Group." Mr. Brown also had another class take part in the study and an intervention program was NOT part of the curriculum. These students were designated as the "Comparison Group." For each group, Mr. Brown plans on comparing 2011 ISAT scores to 2012 ISAT scores.

Null Hypothesis: There will be no difference between scores of the Experimental Group and the scores of the Comparison Group. (NOTE: In other words, the intervention did not impact ISAT scores)

Research Hypotheses: The ISAT scores of the Experimental Group will improve more than the ISAT scores of the Comparison Group.

Directions: Input the data included below into SPSS. Run basic descriptive analysis and compare your results to mine to ensure you entered your data correctly. Using the data complete the analyses identified below, create tables of your results in Word (using APA formatting requirements), and write a brief analysis of your results.

1. Identify and run the appropriate statistical test to compare the scores for one group (e.g., the Experimental Group or the Comparison Group; Hint: You will need to use the Select Cases function in SPSS to get just one group). What are the results?

2. Identify and run the appropriate statistical test to compare one year of scores between the Experimental and Comparison Group (i.e., either run 2011 or 2012). What are the results?

3. Identify and run the appropriate statistical test to compare the Experimental and Comparison groups' improvement from 2011 to 2012 (Hint: the 2011 scores function as a pre-test, which makes them your control variable). What are the results?

4. After all analysis has taken place, write a paragraph summarizing the results from Mr. Brown's study, including whether or not your research hypothesis is supported.