DATA ANALYSIS and INTERPRETATION Assignment

Assessment Task 1 -

Question 1 -

Source: United Nations Data

Required -

a) Use a commercial software package (e.g. Excel) to calculate the following statistics.

Please supplement the answers with (i) the Greek alphabet for each statistic, where appropriate; (ii) the equation how the statistic is calculated (not the textbook "formula" but an arithmetic expression with the appropriate numbers (e.g. mean = (1+2+3)/3 not ∑x_i/n); (iii) what the statistic measures; and (iii) the software command to perform each task.

1) For variables X and Y, respectively, ascertain:

i) Range

ii) Mean

iii) Median

iv) Mode

v) Variance

vi) Standard deviation

vii) Coefficient of variation

2) Between variables X and Y, ascertain:

i) Covariance

ii) Coefficient of correlation

iii) Coefficient of determination

b) Would you use a bar chart or histogram to present variables X and Y?  Please explain.

c) Use a commercial software package to present variables X and Y together by country in a graph in accordance with your answer in c).

d) Which variable, X or Y, is more varied?  Please justify your answer (i) first with intuition; and (ii) then with your answers in a). How can you explain this differential in variation between X and Y, respectively? 

e) Imagine you are the President of Country A.  Which variable, X or Y, would you use to defend that your country is not the worst offender in CO₂ emission?  Please justify (i) your choice of the variable; and (ii) that your choice of the variable is not unethical.

f) In your objective and independent opinion, please explain (i) which country is the worst offender in CO₂ emission from a global perspective; and (ii) whether your answer would be different if you were the president of that country.

g) What can you say about ethics when using statistics, in view of your answers in f) and g)?  More importantly, how would you discern truth from "statistical lies"?

Assessment Task 2 -

Prelude

In Assessment Task 1, data and questions were provided.   This is not real-world research.

In real world research, it is not uncommon that data are unavailable or not very convincing and directly relevant, if available (i.e. you use proxies).

In Assessment Task 2, you are entering into the real world, when you attempt to justify/support your "theory" and opinion with data on real-life issues.

Accordingly, please first complete (i) a); (ii) the "theories" of b) and c); and (iii),  then confirm data availability, feasibility and scope for b) and c) with LIC before UA Week Recess prior to embark data analysis, viz. parts d) to h).

Question 1 - 

a) Identify a social issue in a country of your choice as the topic for the assignment.  Examples: domestic violence; multi-cultural communities; job placements for university graduates; income gaps between ethnic groups; housing affordability; drug usage among tertiary students; suicide among young adults; petrol sniffing; availability of firearms and terrorism.

Collect at least 10-year data to ascertain its trend:  stable, up or down.

b) Develop "a theory" (viz. a null hypothesis) for the trend in a), identifying the underlying factors and explaining how these factors have led to the trend.  Collect the relevant data to either support or refute your "theory".

c) Develop "a theory" (viz. a null hypothesis) for the social consequences of the trend in a), explaining (i) what the social consequences are; and (ii) why the trend leads to the social consequences in (i).    Collect the relevant data to (i) either support or refute your "theory"; and (ii) substantiate the social consequences you have claimed.

Discuss your "answers" for a) to c) with the LIC first prior to the UA Recess Week before you undertake d) to g).

d) As a minimum, you need a line graph and an index (viz. two graphical presentations of the trend minimal) to illustrate your trend in a), and likewise with the data for trends in underlying factors and social consequences in b) and c). 

e) Justify whatever statistical techniques you would employ to support or refute your "theories" in b) and c).

f) Employ the statistical techniques in e) to explain whether your "theories" in b) and c) are supported or refuted by the data and your findings. 

g) Discuss the limitations of your statistical and data analyses, and how credible your findings are in f).

h) Imagine you are the prime minister of the country.  What would you do to mitigate (i) the social issue; and (ii) the social consequences of the issue?  Please explain.

Note:  You need to support the feasibility of your actions with relevant data.  For example, you postulate that you need 10 billion dollars to rectify the social issue.  You need relevant data (e.g. budget surplus in past years) to substantiate that you do have 10 billion dollars at your disposal to rectify the social issue.

Attachment:- Assignment File.rar