STAT 210 Course Research Poster Project | Complete Solution

STAT 210 Fall 2015, 16-week

Course Research Poster Project (100 Points)
Please read these instructions carefully.
Instructions and Objective: For this project, you will use MS Excel to conduct a statistical analysis and use MS Powerpoint to create a research poster presentation to showcase your final results. The research poster will allow you to present your statistical analysis and findings in a visual way to a large audience. Research posters are a popular avenue to visually present research results, not to mention that no matter what you do (or will do) for a living, having some experience in developing visual aids never hurts.
You’ll use MS Excel to perform a statistical analysis on data you FIND, and MS Powerpoint to create a 4ft by 3ft poster. I’ll provide the poster template to work from. Follow the procedure below to select one of two project options to get started finding data to analyze. Feel free to consult with me at any time during you’re the project development process. Under no circumstances should you use data that a previous STAT 210 student has employed for similar projects assigned in previous semesters. Doing so will result in a zero grade, and students have already attempted it.

Choose ONE of the two following options for your project:
OPTION 1: Perform a bivariate analysis:
For a bivatiate analysis, you must find data for TWO variables that are independent but related. Both variables must be quantitative. To begin, think about a topic or subject that interests you (something from your major, for instance) and decide whether you want to collect data or use existing data from the internet. If you collect data, you cannot use human subjects (as in a survey, for instance). If you look for data on the internet to use, make sure it’s UNANALYZED (e.g., raw data) data (try the Federal Reserve System, Bureau of Labor Statistics, Bureau of Economic Analysis, FedStats, or any of the websites given on Blackboard). You may also use data sets archived at Universities or private companies provided they are readily available. You will have to show Dave the data you plan to use for your project during Week #6. Make sure that you collect/choose variables for which there is readily available data, at least 30 or so data points for each variable. Example of data for you to collect might be: sugar/sodium content of breakfast cereal, basketball free throws, or coin tossing.

Some examples of existing data might be to examine: the relationship between investment and the interest rate, unemployment and inflation, the relationship between the crime rate and expenditures on police protection for a certain city, the relationship between the balance of trade and the exchange rate, the relation between the interest rate and the deficit… the list is endless. Think of your own example ratherthan picking one of these. It’s also important to have at least 30 data points for each variable and to choose a data set where statistics are not already computed.

OPTION 2. Do Distributions Really Exist?
Choose one of the following (either ‘a’ OR ‘b’):
a) Collect for one hour the interarrival times (in seconds) between any 2 people arriving (if two people arrive together, count them as 1 person) at for instance the downtown post office downtown or a particular entrance at Gateway Mall.
b) Collect of 100 people (either all men or all women, do not mix) their heights (in inches) For your chosen assignment, do the following using MS Excel:
-Make a stem and leaf plot of the data
-Produce the frequency table and histogram of the data.
-Using Excel’s functions, compute some descriptive statistics including the mean and
standard deviation and provide comment.
-Compare your data with a normal N(μ,σ) distribution in the following way:
*The following formula will give a normal curve for your data. Using Excel and the
following formula with your data, calculate the height of the density curve at any point
with the following formula. (HINT: you’ll need to use the following equation to obtain
your function; see your text for additional details):
The “e” is an exponential function, and is coded in Excel as “EXP”. So, in the formula box
you’ll type: EXP{-…} for one data value and drag down the column for each of your data
values. Use the mean and standard deviation you have already determined. Check with a
calculator on a few examples to be sure your formula is correct. One Excel function that
will help you with this is:
=1/($C$4*SQRT(2*PI()*EXP(D8^2)))
where $C$4 is the standard deviation (a sample cell where the standard deviation
resides in the worksheet. You can also just use your computed standard
deviation value entered as a number), and D8 is -(x-mu)/(2*sigma^2). Use Excel
to compute X-mu (x value subtract mean), then 2*sigma^2 (sigma is again the
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stdev), and then divide the two. The final result is "D8". See Excel help for more
information.
*Plot this function in Excel (is it normal?). What does this indicate?
*Write the discrete probability distribution for your variable. Remember the sum of the
probabilities is one.
*Draw some conclusions on your data.
Once you have identified your data source for one of the project options, follow these
steps during the semester:
Step 1: Collect Data/Import into Excel
Deadline: Due 10/4/15 (End of Week #6)
Create a post in the class discussion board area that clearly states which of the data paths
you will follow. Identify the data you plan to collect, or the link/reference to the data you
will analyze. You should begin to collect your data and import it into Excel by the end of
Week #5.
Step 2: Full Data Analysis
Deadline: Due 11/15/15 (End of Week #12)
You should now use statistical measures to summarize your data, and you are to turn in
your spreadsheet so I may check your progress. It can be difficult to choose the statistical
measures to use! Begin by summarizing each variable separately indicating its mean,
variance and anything else you feel is relevant. Produce graphs that show the distribution
of each variable. You might also determine whether there is a linear relationship between
the two variables you have chosen, if appropriate. Examine the extent of the relation in as
much detail as you can. Include scatterplots and a regression analysis, if appropriate. DO
NOT include extraneous statistical measures that you’ve not been exposed to in our
course, as this will adversely affect your grade as it indicates to me you do not have
command of the concepts (see grading rubric below).
Step 3: Final Presentation
Deadline: Before the final exam due date (TBA Week #16)
The final stage is to create a short poster presentation of your work using Powerpoint.
There is a poster template available for you in Blackboard to get started. In your poster
presentation, be sure to address the following:
1) Describe your centralized theme or hypothesis. Relate to the viewer why this study is
presented.
2) Present justification as to why this study and the variables you chose are important.
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3) Discuss any biases in the data that might be present. How might this impact your
results?
4) Describe the conclusions your analysis led you to (if any).
5) Stress what additional insight the statistical analysis has given you.
Be sure to include all Excel charts and tables you have prepared, and these should be
inserted into your poster! Do NOT include any raw data in your presentation (viewers
want the bottom line!). Your presentation should be professional, spell checked and proof
read for accuracy and clarity. A breakdown of how your project will be evaluated is as
follows:
Project Evaluation:
Project Originality/Adherence to class deadlines 10 points
Choice and use of class statistical concepts 40 points
Demonstrated Excel Proficiency 10 points
Conclusion based on analysis 10 points
Final poster presentation 30 points
** You need to completely yet concisely convey your analysis and summarize your thoughts
and interpretations in an efficient manner. Quality of the presentation and substance are
very important!
Some Good Data Sources on the web:
http://www.bls.gov/nls/
http://www.stat.ucla.edu/data/
http://web.worldbank.org/WBSITE/EXTERNAL/DATASTATISTICS/0,,contentMD
K:20535285~menuPK:1192694~pagePK:64133150~piPK:64133175~theSitePK:
239419,00.html
http://bjs.ojp.usdoj.gov/index.cfm?ty=dca