May 2, 2009 - Final Project Outline (optional)

For those of you interested in working on a final project, the following is an example outline . The final project must be in a "PowerPoint" or MS Word format.

Project Outline (a guide)

I. Identifying the "subject" of your study

• What is the question? (What are my hypotheses?)- 1 slide
  
• Is the data obtainable? (birth weight, socio economic, drugs, alcohol)- 1 slide
  
• Is it ethical to obtain such data?
• If not, is there a reasonable substitute?
• Are the assumptions reasonable?- 1 slide
  

II. Designing

• Identify the population of interest- 1 slide
  
• Survey- several slides (how would you design the survey, you do not have to actually do the survey) * * * although, for extra credit (5 points) you can do a survey
  
  • Obtain a representative sample of that population- 1 slide
    
    • Simple Random Sampling
    • Stratified Sampling (M-F, Age groups)
    • Systematic Sampling (class roster, census list)
    • Multi-Stage Sampling
  • Sources of Bias- 1-2 slides
    
    • Voluntary Response
    • Non-response bias (day phone)
    • Response bias (people lie)
    • Undercoverage
• Observational Studies- 1-3 slides
  
  • Used when a designed experiment is not ethical
  • Subjects studied over a period of time in natural setting
  • Case/Control – Control must match
  • Record Variables of interest
  • Confounding is a major issue
• Designing an Experiment1-5 slides
  
  • Researcher has control over the subjects or units in the study
  • An intervention takes place that otherwise would not occur
  • Randomization used to assign treatments
  • Strongest case for causality
• EDA – Exploratory Data Analysis (trends, relationships, differences) - optional, 1 slide
• Pilot Study

III. Collecting Data 1-3 slides

• Identify variables
• Identify types of variables
  • Qualitative
  • Quantitative
• Identify Limits of measurement or observation

IV. Analyze the data 1-3 slides

• Use proper procedures and techniques.
• Check the assumptions behind the procedures and techniques.

V. Make Conclusions and Discuss Limitations 1-3 slides

• What are the answers to the original hypotheses?
• What are the limitations of the study?
• What conclusions does the study not make?
• What new questions arise from this study?