Learning objectives
The course will provide students with the tools for statistical analysis of data in social and political sciences. At the end of the course, the student will be able to employ statistical analysis techniques most frequently used and the methods of collecting information more widely. Also, will interpret and evaluate the results of surveys political or social opinion polls
Prerequisites
No.
Course unit content
1-Detection of Information: properties, states, units; operational definition of property; detection errors, types of properties and types of variables, data matrix.
2 - Monovariate Analysis : tabular and graphical representations of frequency distributions, central tendency, variability and concentration.
3 - Transformations of data: aggregation of values; standardization; treatment "response styles", indices and types.
4 - Bivariate analysis: the relationship between variables, cross-tabulation, analysis of variance, correlation, regression.
5 - Statistical inference and sampling: the concept of sampling, sampling error and sample size, sampling designs and non-probabilistic probabilistic sampling problems in social research; weighting
6 - Data Analysis: reading the tables and interpretive analysis of the results
Full programme
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Bibliography
Corbetta P. Gasperoni G. Pisati M. (2001), Statistics for Social Research, Il Mulino, Bologna (Chapters 1-2-3-4-5-6-10)
Further reading will be suggested during the course and published on the course web page
Teaching methods
lessons, exercises
Assessment methods and criteria
Written exam (theoretical questions, solving exercises and interpreting the results of a research)
Other information
During the course will be invited researchers of the major Italian opinion poll institutes.
