for "counters"
Quantitative Data analysis support
The SSDL supports researchers using quantitative data in a number of ways. We provide general assistance in formulating research questions, identifying secondary data sets that can help answer those questions, as well as in figuring out the appropriate analytical techniques for the problem. We can help you use several quantitative data analysis software packages. Currently, we support SPSS, Stata, AMOS (for structural equation modeling), and HLM (for hierarchical linear modeling). We also can provide very basis assistance with SAS.
Quantitative Brown Bag Discussion Series
Apply to Present at the Quantitative Brown Bag Discussion Series
We are currently recruiting presenters for the 2007-08 discussions series, which we plan to hold about once a month. If you wish to present your methodological questions before the group, please email the ssdl for consideration. Future sessions will cover a variety of advanced topics, including:
- Hierarchical Linear Modeling, Mixed Models
- Structural Equation Modeling, Factor Analysis, Latent Models
- Time series analysis,
- Event History Modeling, Hazard Models
- Spatial Regressions, GIS
Sample of Past Meetings Descriptions:
Verbalizations While Reading and Learning
For several years, Dr. Jennifer Cromley has worked with data that are verbalizations by participants while learning or while reading. This think-aloud protocol methodology yields counts of coded verbalizations. This methodology is widely used in cognitive and educational psychology. Typically, participants differ in the total number of coded verbalizations. Therefore, researchers convert the raw frequency data to proportions of utterances (or behaviors, etc.) and analyze these proportions. The data analytical quandary for this type of research is that all of the typically-used methods have very low statistical power. The question is “which statistical technique is better suited for this analysis?
Quantifying Geographical Effects on Human Behavior
There are a number of researchers at Temple who are trying to model human behavior at an individual level (i.e. not aggregated) based on geographic characteristics of where individuals reside: whether someone commits a crime, makes healthy lifestyle choices, etc. These analyses are challenging, not just because of the technical aspects of choosing the right analytical technique for spatial data, but because of the mismatch between theories of how environment affects behavior and our ability to quantify environmental characteristics and their relationship to individuals. Sometimes researchers face negative results – perhaps because of the mismatch between theory and implementation. Jeremy Mennis, Associate Professor at the Department of Urban Studies will invite a panel to discuss ways we can more accurately match substantive theories of the affect of geographic characteristics on human behavior with the available representational and analytical techniques necessary to adequately test such theories.
Longitudinal Data Analysis.
A team of researchers from the Psychology Department who are studying juvenile offenders will present a research problem requiring longitudinal analysis. Other researchers attending the session, including several with extensive experience with longitudinal analysis, will offer suggestions regarding approaches to this problem.
Joanna Lee, Graduate Student with Larry Steinberg, Psychology Department, will be presenting a missing data problem affecting her analysis of the relationship between police maltreatment and psychological distress experienced by African-American youth involved in the juvenile justice system.
Download more detailed description of the session. More background info.
Seminar Format
We plan to identify in advance, faculty, graduate students, or research scientists with a particular methodological and/or analytical challenge. For the first seminar we have asked a team of graduates students working with longitudinal data to prepare a ten to fifteen minute presentation that describes the research question, the data (and any problems with the data), their thinking about how they want to analyze the data, and any issues or problems they are already aware of with respect to the analysis.
Following the presentation, an appointed “mentor”, who is knowledgeable about the methods under discussion, will summarize the problem, and then open up the floor to researchers in the room who will offer suggestions about approaches to the problem. There will be questions of clarification and conversation between the presenters and the panel of experts. At the end of the discussion, the “mentor” will summarize the challenges and propose one or more approaches to the problem.
Administrative Structure
SSDL in conjunction with the Center for Statistical and Information Science (CSIS) will recruit a variety of panel experts for each meeting and appoint the mentor.
Future Plans
SSDL and CSIS are planning a one-day or half-day training session or workshop that focuses on techniques for analyzing longitudinal and related problems. It will be the first in a series of workshops.
We are now working to organize a series of problem presenters and methods presentations for the 2007-08 year. These sessions will occur every other month, or possible every month given the demand. We will support these sessions with a listserv and Blackboard site where participants can contact the group, post materials of interest, ask questions and continue discussions initiated during meetings.
Join QuantSIG: The Quantitative Data Special Interest Group
QuantSIG is a listserv for quantitative researchers at Temple University. Please email the ssdl if you are interested in joining the list. This list will provide announcements about training sessions, workshops, lectures and presentations of interest to "counters," as well as being a place for questions and discussions of problems experienced in current research.
Quantitative Research Methods and Data Analysis Courses at Temple University
The Center for Statistical and Information Science at Temple University compiled this information on statistical and data analysis resources at Temple University. This site contains a listing of courses offered across Temple University that cover some aspect of statistics, experimental design, data collection, data analysis or database programming.
Links to Quantitative Data Analysis Support and Software Sites
- Links to standard statistical software support sites: information to help you use SPSS, Stata, SAS and many other statistical software packages.
- Online statistical applications: The web pages listed here comprise a powerful, conveniently-accessible, multi-platform statistical software package. There are also links to online statistics books, tutorials, downloadable software, and related resources. All of these resources are freely accessible, once you can get onto the Internet.
- StatSoft: an Electronic Statistics Textbook that provides training in the understanding and application of statistics.