Homework 4: Research Brief
Due Monday, December 9, 2024 at 11am hard copy in class and via Brightspace
This assignment utilizes data from a dataset entitled: Voting Behavior, The 2016 Election (ICPSR 36853) and pushes students to use data to form. an evidence-based conclusion on a question of interest.
Use these data to make an evidence-based argument for whether protests have changed (or remained constant) over time along some dimension that you feel is important.
Evidence (30 points)
1. (10 points) Produce a descriptive table that shows means and standard deviations for continuous variables, and proportions for binary variables. Include sample sizes (N) as well. Categorical variables should be converted to binary variables. See the attached table shell.
2. Execute at least one inferential test from (A) and one inferential test from (B).
a. (10 points) This can be a t-test, ANOVA, or analysis.
b. (10 points) OLS regression or logistic regression. Subgroup analyses and regressions with interaction terms are also welcomed if they serve your research question.
Please be sure that any relevant estimates, test statistics, and p-values are visible in your evidence. Include your evidence on the back of your write up. Evidence and code can be up to four pages.
(30 points) Write Up: In one page max, size 12 font, Times New Roman, 1-inch margins. Single spacing. (3-point deduction for deviating from length or style. requirement). Briefly explain:
o Paragraph 1: Briefly explain your research question. Explain which dependent and explanatory variables you chose to operationalize your concepts on interest.
o Paragraph 2: Briefly discuss the measures employed in this work and their meaning/interpretation. Discuss results from your descriptive table. Mention any means/proportions that may be important, sample sizes, and any useful information about control measures.
o Paragraph 3: Explain the idea(s) being tested. Explain which inferential tests were employed to test idea(s). Discuss the results of the inferential tests completed above in the evidence section. Summarize findings into an evidence-based argument on your central question.
o Paragraph 4: Mention any limitations of the data/research that may affect the strength of the result. Are there analyses that you would have liked to complete that were not feasible?