SUNY College at Buffalo Sociology 301 (Social Statistics)
Homework #10: To be due at the beginning next class
Dr. ZHANG Jie

Submit your work on a Word file with the homework #, your name, and the date on top of it. The highest possible score for this homework is 10.

Essay Question 1:

What is a correlation?  What are the similarities and differences between correlatoin and other statistics such as t test, ANOVA, and Chi-Squar?  (You need to discuss them in terms of the probability theory (Z score) and levels of measurements.)

Essay Question 2:

What is a scatter plot and why it is important?  Answer your question with examples.

Essay Question 3:

What is a partial correlation?  What does it mean to have a variable controled for?  Illustrate your answers with examples.

Essay Question 4:

What is Pearson's correlation coefficient?  What are its characteristics? (clues: the maximum and minimum value, the positive and negative value)

Computer Assignment:

Find a data set in the SPSS program in computer and run three correlations with diffferent variables.  Make a story with each correlation analysis in terms of signicance of the relationship.