These are writing assignments for a graduate-level applied research methods statistics 1 class. Must be knowledgable in the system software stata. Please find attached.
Writing Assignment 3: Describing Public Opinion by Group
Due date: Friday, February 5, 6:00 a.m.
Purpose: This assignment applies the material from modules 1 and 2 to imagine a semi-realistic situation in which one would use univariate statistics. It also reinforces concepts and coding skills that you will use repeatedly in the remainder of this class and in 8131. It also prepares you for the first paper assignment.
Knowledge: This exercise
Reinforces your understanding of percentages
Tests your ability to analyze subsets of your data
Teaches you a little about public opinion
Skills: This exercise also
Uses Stata to create variables and run analyses by group
Develops your ability to write about statistics
Task: It is your first day of your internship at the campaign of a candidate for Congress. Your supervisor decides to test your ability to analyze data and write up your findings. She gives you the 2018 General Social Survey (GSS), allows you to choose an issue that interests you, and asks you to summarize how public opinion on that issue varies by group.
Choose a topic that interests you. The GSS includes questions on legalization of marijuana (grass), capital punishment (cappun), same-sex marriage (marhomo), abortion (variables that start with ab), government spending preferences (variables that start with nat), confidence in institutions (variables that start with con), and on various types of sex outside marriage (premarsx, teensex, xmarsex).
Go to GSS Data Navigator (https://gssdataexplorer.norc.org/variables/vfilter), type in the variable name, then click on the variable name on the next screen to see the exact question wording. Include at least part of that wording, rather than just the variable label, in your paper.
Create a new version of the variable that interests you and recode it in a way that you like.
If you have any “Don’t Know” or “No Answer” responses, turn them into missing values (remember that Stata uses a period “.” to represent a missing value).
If your variable is ordinal-level, either convert it to a dummy variable or make sure that it’s coded in an ordinal manner.
If you use a dummy variable, code it either 1 or 100 for Yes and 0 for No. This will make means much easier to interpret (they will be proportions or percentages).
Think about variables that might affect how people think about that issue. Obvious choices include sex, race, age, education (educ), religion (use relig), religious attendance (attend), party identification (party7), and liberalism-conservatism (polviews).
Create a simplified version of age, educ, attend, party7, or polviews that only has 3 or 4 values. (Make sure you understand how the original variable is coded before recoding it.)
Create and apply variable and value labels for your new variable.
First, describe public opinion on this issue for the data set as a whole. (What percentage give the response that interests you?)
Second, use subsetting if statements to describe public opinion on this issue for each value of a dummy or nominal-level variable (e.g., sex, race, or relig).
Third, use the bysort command to describe public opinion for each value of your simplified ordinal- or interval-level variable (age, educ, attend, party7, or polviews).
Write approximately one page (double-spaced, 12-point font, in Word) describing your findings.
Add an appendix that includes your Stata commands and output. This should be included within the same Word document as your writing assignment; do not submit extra Word or Stata files. Be sure to include the crosstabs that you use to check that you recoded your dependent variable correctly.
Try to make this as easy and pleasant as possible for your supervisor to read. Use some logical order to present the variables. Use simple, active-voice language. Be grammatically correct.
Criteria: This is a low-stakes exercise, worth approximately 1% of your final grade, so it is primarily an opportunity to practice your understanding of this module. Writing assignments are worth 10 points. To get the full 10 points,
Create a new version of your public opinion variable that is a 0-1 or 0-100 dummy variable that has appropriate variable and value labels.
Create a simplified version of an ordinal- or interval-level variable that has appropriate variable and value labels.
Correctly describe the findings from your subsetting if statements.
Correctly describe the findings from your bysort command.
Provide an appropriate appendix.
I will also provide feedback on your writing.
