Reference no: EM132257329

Answering Questions in Political Science: Research in Practice Assignment -

Empirical Assignment -

Objective: Use the 2015 Canadian Election Study to complete a crosstab analysis of an independent and dependent variable. The entire assignment is to be completed in an SPSS syntax file.

Lab instructions:

1) Select two variables, one of which is a "composite" measure made up of at least two items. Explain as COMMENTS what variables were picked.

2) Collapse the composite measure into categories. If the second variable is also continuously scaled, collapsed it into categories, as well. How many categories? Start with three or four. Explain as COMMENTS how you recoded the variables.

3) Generate a crosstab with your independent and dependent variable. Include column percentages and any appropriate statistical measures (chisquare, correct measure of association). Note: Avoid low cell counts (less than five), and absolutely avoid empty cells. If necessary, try new variables or reconsider the recodes. Note: If the crosstab is not statistically significant, try again with a new independent variable, or reconsider the recodes.

4) Right after the crosstab commands, write COMMENTS that interpret the following:

• scores of the statistical measures;
• how "strong" is the association?
• look at the distribution within the crosstab (i.e., difference between actual and expected counts, column percentages), indicate what they all suggest about the relationship between x and y. Explain, clearly, how y appears to change according to x.