Syllabus: SOC WL / CS&SS  589 -- Winter 2007

MULTIVARIATE DATA ANALYSIS FOR THE SOCIAL SCIENCES

Elena Erosheva
C 14C Padelford Hall
(206) 685-0166 
elena@stat.washington.edu
  • Class times: Tuesday and Thursday 11:00 - 12:20
  • Place: Parrington Hall 120
  • Office hours:  Tuesday 3:00-4:00 or by appointment

Course description

This course will focus on multivariate analysis techniques that aim to explore relationship among several observed characteristics. Examples of research questions include studying similarity in language dialects, determining dimensionality of color vision, analyzing how countries vary by their economic and demographic indicators or by percentages of their workforce employed in different industries, determining whether people's views on global warming are related to their political views, exploring relationship between attitudes and behaviors (e.g., as toward marijuana use), etc. Statistical methods introduced in the course will include cluster analysis, correspondence analysis, principal component analysis, factor analysis for metrical and binary variables, and latent class analysis. We will also read, discuss and critique articles published in the social science literature that make use of multivariate analysis techniques.

Course text

  • The Analysis and Interpretation of Multivariate Data for Social Scientists (2002), Bartholomew, D. J., Steele, F., Moustaki, I., and Galbraith, J. I.

Other course materials: multivariate analysis and SPSS guides

  • Applied Multivariate Statistical Analysis (1998) Johnson, R. I., and Wichern, D. W.
  • Latent Variable Models and Factor Analysis (1999) Bartholomew, D. J. and Knott, M.
  • SPSS 14.0 Guide to Data Analysis (2006) Norušis, M. J.
  • SPSS 14.0 Statistical Procedures Companion (2006) Norušis, M. J.
  • SPSS 14.0 Advanced Statistical Procedures Companion (2006) Norušis, M. J.

Computing

We will use two software packages, SPSS and Lami. Both will be available in the SWS computer lab. You can also download Lami software by clicking here.

Course goals

The primary objective of the course is to gain statistical background necessary to understand relevant multivariate analysis techniques, to successfully carry out analyses, and to interpret results. The secondary objective is to acquire skills that are necessary for being a critical reader of research papers that employ multivariate analysis.

Prerequisites

Fundamentals of Social Work Statistics I and II (Soc WL 587-588 or Bio Stat 511-512), or equivalent.

Homework assignments and grades

  • Final grades will be based on homework assignments (70%) and a take-home final exam (30%).
  • I encourage you to work on the homework assignments with each other in small groups. However, each student is required to prepare and submit their own solution and write-up.
  • Homework assignments will generally be due in a week. It is a good strategy to resolve all technical questions or problems you might have with running the software and interpreting the results early on so we can clarify those issues in class.
  • Homework assignments that are not handed in on time will receive zero points (except in cases of documented emergency). Your lowest homework score will be dropped for grade calculation.
  • A final take-home exam will be available on the web on March 6. The final will be due by noon, March 13. You will be allowed to use your notes or consult any written material as you wish, but the instructor will be the only person with whom you can discuss it.
  • Handout articles: I will place instructions for each handout article on the web. Students will take turns on leading discussions. Please come prepared to talk about the articles' uses of statistical methodology.
  • Please type up your homework assignments using a text editor (equations may be written in by hand, if necessary). Unless specifically requested, never submit raw computer output pages. Instead, insert appropriate parts of the output into your write-up (or cut those parts out and neatly tape them onto your homework paper). Please label all output, plots, variables, etc., appropriately. 
  • Please tell the instructor if you are changing your status to satisfactory/non satisfactory option during the quarter as it helps with the grading.

Students with Disabilities

If you would like to request academic accommodations due to a disability, please contact Disabled Student Services, 448 Schmitz, 543-8924 (V/TTY).  If you have a letter from Disabled Student Services indicating you have a disability that requires academic accommodations, please present the letter to me so we can discuss the accommodations you might need for this class.