The specific target I am investigating is 12.4
PROJECT 1: Global Issues and Local Conditions
This week, you are a social scientist who is investigating the UN Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) #12: Ensure Sustainable Consumption and Production Patterns. This project will take the form of a report which requires you to do the following: Connect one specific target of this SDG with conditions and efforts being made here in Tampa, FL and propose research assessing USF students’ awareness, habits, or viewpoints, related this specific target. Further, you will be asked to help classmates improve their own reports through peer feedback, a common process undertaken by social science researchers. Linked below are the documents you will need to complete Project 1:
- Click here to download the Project 1 instructions, rubric, and example
- Click here to read UN Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) #12: Ensure Sustainable Consumption and Production Patterns (Links to an external site.)
- Click here to review the Goal #12 Targets
- SPSS is not required for Project 1!
PROJECT 1 Posting Instructions:
- STEP 1: REPORT! A posting of your full report is due by 11:59pm on Sunday (2/2). Your report should address all the components (1 to 4) described in the instructions. I would set aside 3-5 hours to complete this task.
Be sure to check the example and the rubric.
Proofread your work. Save a copy for future reference.
Select the box that reads, “Reply” to post your work (usually copy + paste works, you may then have to edit the work using the buttons above the text box).
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- STEP 2: EVALUATE! Come back to the board before nextWednesday (2/5) at 11:59pm and provide peer-evaluations to two of your classmates. Please read instructions for more details. I would set aside 1 to 2 hours to complete these evaluations.
- STEP 3: REVISE! Come back to the board before next Sunday (2/9) at 11:59pm and acknowledge any responses your received to your post — substantively address any comments, concerns, etc. If you did not receive any responses, post “No responses” as a reply to your own project. You are invited to post a REVISED version of your project to the discussion board.
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Social Science Statistics
Project 1: Global Issues and Local Conditions
CONTENTS:
Project 1 Description and Posting Instructions (Page 1)
Project 1 Components (Page 2)
Project 1 Peer Feedback and Revision Instructions (Page 4)
Project 1 Rubric (Page 5)
Project 1 Example (Page 6)
PROJECT 1 DESCRIPTION
This week, you are a social scientist who is investigating the UN Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) #12:
Ensure Sustainable Consumption and Production Patterns. This project will take the form of a report which
requires you to do the following: Connect one specific target of SDG #12 with conditions and efforts being
made here in Tampa, FL and propose research assessing USF students’ awareness, habits, or viewpoints,
related this specific target. Further, you will be asked to help classmates improve their own reports through
peer feedback, a common process undertaken by social science researchers. This assignment emphasizes
STA2122 learning objectives 1, 2, 4, 5, and 7:
1. the vocabulary and symbols used in social statistics
2. how to measure variables and test relationships at different levels
3. the basics of descriptive and inferential statistics
4. to become critical consumers of statistical information
5. about global systems and issues and associated dimensions (e.g., historical, political, economic, social,
cultural, environmental, technological)
6. to analyze global interrelationships and interdependencies across place and time
7. to formally report findings from statistical analyses
PROJECT 1 POSTING INSTRUCTIONS
• STEP 1: REPORT! A posting of your full report is due by 11:59pm on Sunday. Your report should address
all the components (1 to 3) described in the instructions. I would set aside 3-5 hours to complete this task.
o Be sure to check the example and the rubric.
o Proofread your work. Save a copy for future reference.
o Select the box that reads, “Reply” to post your work (usually copy + paste works, you may then
have to edit the work using the buttons above the text box).
• STEP 2: EVALUATE! Come back to the board before next Wednesday at 11:59pm and provide peer-
evaluations to two of your classmates. Please read instructions for more details. I would set aside 1 to
2
hours to complete these evaluations.
• STEP 3: REVISE! Come back to the board before next Sunday at 11:59pm and acknowledge any responses
your received to your post — substantively address any comments, concerns, etc. At this time, you are
invited to post a REVISED version of your project to the discussion board for us to grade.
University of South Florida
Instructor: Dr. Erica L. Toothman
Email: USFstats@gmail.com
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PROJECT 1 (Main Report)
Component 1: Background Research (25 points). This week, you are a social scientist who is
investigating the UN Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) #12: Ensure Sustainable Consumption and Production
Patterns. First, I’d like you to review the facts, figures, targets, and indicators listed at the bottom of the
UNSDG #12 homepage (a link is provided on Canvas). Second, I’d like you to do a little background research
on one particular target (i.e., 12.1 through 12.8) and how it’s being addressed on campus at USF or in Tampa
Bay, Florida. Third, I’d like you to generate a small report (1-2 large paragraphs in length) touching on the
following items:
• Describe the specific global target you’re investigating (e.g., 12.3 or 12.7) and what local context you’re
investigating (USF or Tampa Bay, FL).
• Describe how consumption and production, related to this target, are impacting this USF or Tampa
Bay. Here, you will need to provide two local, relevant supporting statistics (e.g., percentages,
frequencies, proportions) with citations to primary sources (using ASA, APA, or MLA formatting).
• Describe two current laws, rules, regulations, or policies that are in place that will encourage
sustainable consumption and production related to your target here at USF or Tampa Bay. Here, you
will need to provide two current and local laws, rules, or regulations (i.e., 10 years or newer) with
citations to primary sources (using ASA, APA, or MLA formatting).
Component 2: Research Proposal (30 points). Taking what you’ve learned about consumption and
production locally, I’d like you to think about what information you think would be helpful to know more
about. For this part, I’d like you to construct a hypothetical research proposal that will assess USF students’
awareness, habits, or viewpoints, related to the consumption and production target you’ve researched (e.g.,
12.3 or 12.7). Your proposal (1-2 large paragraphs in length) should include the following items:
• A testable a research question. Underline the question. Please identify what kind of question it is (e.g.,
descriptive, comparative, or relationship-based).
• A description of how you would survey a hypothetical sample (i.e., you will be targeting USF students –
– so you should tell me how many you’ll want to survey and how you would reach them).
• A list of five variables that would help you explore your research question.
• A hypothesis with clearly labeled independent and dependent variables. Underline the hypothesis. You
should be using two of the variables you described above.
• A couple of sentences explaining the logic of your hypothesis.
Component 3: (Hypothetical) Survey (25 points). Compose a five-question survey that represents
the five variables you described above. Each question on your survey must represent one variable and each
variable must be measured using a different level of measurement (e.g., nominal, ordinal, and
discrete/continuous interval-ratio). Make sure you label each question with the variable name and CLEARLY
identify its level of measurement. Further, please ensure that your response categories are both exhaustive
and mutually exclusive. Component 3 must contain the following:
• one question tapping a variable measured at the nominal level
• one question tapping a variable measured at the ordinal level
• one question tapping a variable measured at the discrete interval-ratio level variable
• one question tapping a variable measured at the continuous interval-ratio level variable
• one question tapping a variable measured at any level of your choice
That’s it! Just put that together in one report and post it to the discussion board. You
don’t need to distribute the survey.
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Style and Flow (10 Points). Ten percent of your grade will be dedicated to appearances. I know that we
like to think that “true beauty” lies beneath the surface, but in the real world, your ability to produce legible
and accessible work is a key component to success. Here, I will be looking for titles, subtitles, adherence to
standard written English, minimal grammatical and spelling errors, clear communication, logical organization
and labeling, and a tidy presentation. If you compose your work in a word processing program (e.g., Word)
you can usually copy and paste it with minimal errors. However, you may have to spend time editing your
work in the text box below. You can read about how to edit text in Canvas (e.g., bold, underline, indenting,
and numbering) at the following link: https://community.canvaslms.com/docs/DOC-14513-4152876622. You
are welcome and encouraged to use the formatting of my EXAMPLE; however, you may NOT use it as a
direct template. For example, you may not take my work and super-impose your own analysis and survey
items that appear to be topically different, but map onto my logic.
PROJECT 1 FEEDBACK AND (optional) REVISION INSTRUCTIONS
Peer Feedback (10 Points): By Wednesday (11:59pm) following the project due date, I’d like you to
substantively evaluate two other students’ projects. You must provide feedback for all four components of any
given project. Evaluations should draw on information you have learned from your textbook and stats lessons
(you must provide a page number and location). Please be respectful and professional. Make sure you evaluate
EACH component — consider the following questions in your evaluations:
• Component 1: Are you able to get a clear idea of the target they are interested in? Do the reported
statistics make sense? Do they describe two relevant and local policies?
• Component 2: Did they compose a realistic and social-scientific research question? Identify it? Did they
provide a realistic hypothesis? Specify the independent and dependent variable correctly? Will their
variables help test their hypothesis?
• Component 3: Do the questions (survey items) relate to the major research question? Will they test
the stated hypothesis? Are the levels of measurement correctly identified? Would you change the
question?
Keep in mind the following information:
• You are a member of a group containing roughly 5 to 7 people. You are responsible for posting brief
evaluations for TWO of your classmates’ projects.
• To post your evaluations, click “reply” under the post you wish to respond.
• So that each person has the benefit of two evaluations, please do not evaluate projects that already
have more than three replies.
• There are never any FLAWLESS projects — we can always extend and improve our work.
• You must provide direct quotations in your evaluation. For example, if you’re directing your classmate
to re-write a question, include the text from their question in your reply.
Project 1 Revision (optional): By the final due date (Sunday at 11:59pm), you are welcome to read your
classmates’ feedback and post a REVISED version of your project to the discussion board. Here are the rules:
• Be sure to use your best judgement when incorporating peer feedback — make only changes you think
are logical.
• You may not change your entire project (that means your original post and revision post must be
relatively similar).
• If you did not submit a project by the initial deadline, you may not post one by the second deadline.
• You do not have to revise your work — I will assess the latest posting made available.
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PROJECT 1 RUBRIC and CHECKLIST
Component 1:
BACKGROUND
RESEARCH
(25 Points)
Exceeds expectations. Very good to excellent effort. Summary demonstrates thoughtful and critical understanding of a relevant target, expertly
connects it to local area and explains two statistics about USF or Tampa Bay (i.e., doesn’t just copy and paste numbers). Expertly reports two local
laws/rules/policies related to target. Citations (ASA, MLA, APA) provided.
Meets expectations. Typical effort. All criteria are met. Summary demonstrates basic understanding of a relevant target and generally connects it
to local area and explains two statistics. Includes some statistical information. Describes two laws/rules/policies related to target. Citations (ASA, MLA,
APA) provided.
Approaches/Below expectations. Below-average effort. Not all criteria are necessarily met. Summary demonstrates minimal understanding of a
target which may not be tied to USF/Tampa Bay. Summary draws on information that is provided on basic websites or secondary reports. May or may
not include some statistical information. May or may not describe two laws/rules/policies related to target. Citations/links omitted or inappropriate.
Component 2:
RESEARCH
PROPOSAL
(30 Points)
Exceeds expectations. Proposal identifies a correctly specified (e.g., descriptive, comparative, or relationship-based) social-scientific research
question related to background research. Five well-fitting variables are described. Thoughtfully discusses an appropriate sample. Includes a hypothesis
that relates directly to the project topic and research question. Independent and dependent variables are clearly and correctly identified in the
hypothesis. Further, it contains a critical discussion linking hypothetical expectation to the research question.
Meets expectations. Proposal includes some discussion about current survey and connects it more or less with previous research. It also specifies
a research question though it may be fuzzy or less empirical. Five variables are described. A basic sample is discussed. A logical hypothesis, more or less
related to the project topic and research question, is provided. Independent and dependent variables are linked to the hypothesis. Includes general
discussion linking hypothetical expectation to the research question.
Approaches/Below expectations. Proposal includes little to no discussion about survey and connects it more or less with previous research. It
specifies a research question though it isn’t possible to test. Variables may or may not be described. An irrelevant sample may be discussed. Reflection
contains a hypothesis that does not or barely relates to the project topic or research question. Independent and dependent variables are incorrectly
identified, if at all.
Component 3:
(Hypothetical)
Survey
(25 Points)
Check-plus. Variable is correctly identified (as nominal, ordinal, interval-ratio) and is clearly related to the theme of the survey. The question taps
the variable nicely and can be understood by a lay audience. All response categories are mutually exclusive and exhaustive.
Check. Variable is identified and is relatively related to theme. One of the following problems may appear: Response categories may not be mutually
exclusive/exhaustive, or, the question is unlikely to be understood by a lay audience.
Check-Minus. The level of measurement is clearly identified but is incorrectly specified OR there is no level of measurement reported. Two of the
following problems may appear: Measure does not clearly address the topic, the response categories are not mutually exclusive/exhaustive, or the
question may be unlikely to be understood by a lay audience.
Presentation
quality
(10 Points)
Check-plus. Report and survey is polished, organized, adheres to standard written English, and provides all external resources. There are paragraphs
with spaces, appropriate numbering, and subheadings. Contains minimal spelling and grammatical errors. A person who is not in this class could pick up
this report, read it, and understand it
Check. Report is clear, adheres to standard written English, and provides all external resources. There are paragraphs with spaces, appropriate
numbering, and subheadings. There may be some formatting errors that make the project difficult to read. Minimal spelling and grammatical errors.
Check-Minus. Report is unclear. There are formatting errors that make the project difficult to read. Contains more than three spelling and major
grammatical errors.
Peer Feedback
(10 Points)
Check-plus. Provides respectful and professional evaluations for two peers covering each component of the project. Each improvement or critique
must be at least 2-3 sentences and provide helpful textbook, memo, or lecture page references. (One check-plus evaluation will receive a check).
Check. Provides evaluations for two peers. Each improvement or critique is brief and may or may not include helpful textbook, memo, or lecture
page references. (One check evaluation will receive a check-minus).
Check-Minus. Provides “grading” advice (e.g., “you didn’t follow instructions”). Evaluations are generally unhelpful. References are omitted entirely.
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PROJECT 1 EXAMPLE
*** NOTICE: This example is provided to give you an idea of what a report and peer feedback may look like.
It is an old assignment and does not include all of the requirements of the current assignment (for example, I
don’t discuss consumption, local statistics, or policies). You may use my subheadings, but you are not welcome
to use my language, logic, or to map your work onto mine in any way. Reports that, in any way, copy my
language or variable ordering will be considered plagiarized and given a 0. ***
PROJECT EXAMPLE TITLE: Gender Equality and the Paid Workforce
COMPONENT 1: Background Research Summary
The SDG I chose relates to gender equality within and among countries. The target I’m focusing reads as
follows: “End all forms of discrimination against all women and girls everywhere.” Though we tend to consider
gender a spectrum in the social sciences, there exists deep inequality between the dichotomized categories of
women and men throughout the world. Many of these problems revolve around compensation for paid and
domestic labor, violence, access to healthcare, education, and other resources. I chose to look at women in
the paid labor force in particular (i.e., focusing on the following report:
https://docs.google.com/gview?url=http://sustainabledevelopment.un.org/content/documents/1770ILO%20Repo
rt%202015 &embedded=true). Reading this report, which analyzes data from the ILO Company Survey
(information from ~1300 companies from OECD countries), I gathered that less than five percent of the
largest companies in OECD countries had women in positions of power (e.g., CEOs during years 2012-2015).
The reasons for such low representation include stereotyping, less inclusive corporate cultures, public
perceptions of special treatment (like quotas). Norway promotes many women on the boards of companies
after it introduced a quota system in 2003 (raising 6.8% to 40% of board members — the quota’s top number).
Of companies that participated in the ILO company survey, 80% had maternity leave policies, 44% had some
support for childcare, but fewer than 30% made provisions for elder care. In the US specifically, representation
matters — more people tend to think that women are help back in the workforce because they held to a
higher standard (among other things) as recent Pew research poll reports
(http://www.pewsocialtrends.org/2015/01/14/chapter-3-obstacles-to-female-leadership/).
HINT: You will need to provide citations. You’re welcome and encouraged to go into more detail about your
subject of interest.
COMPONENT 2: Research Proposal
For my survey, I thought it would be interesting to get a sense of how college can shape perceptions of
workplace policies. While women are actually earning more degrees than men, they make less money than
men. Research devoted to the topic points to a lack of women in leadership (mentors) and policies that
punctuate women’s careers (e.g., unpaid maternity leave). Since college students are likely to enter and
escalate to management in the paid workforce, I wonder what might contribute to their views on gender and
family-related workplace policies. So for this project, I would be interested in the following
RELATIONSHIP-BASED research question How do gender-related courses impact opinions
of employer responsibility for gender and family-related policies among USF students?
Here is where I would list out my five relevant variables. Here, the individual is my unit of analysis. For
more insight into this phenomenon, my target population will be graduate students at USF, from which I
will take a sample of roughly n=500 through telepathy. The sample is adequate in terms of gender,
age, and racial diversity, but may not be applicable to all graduate students because only ones with telepathy
would respond. Further, telepathy isn’t a thing, so I may not get any responses at all!
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With respect to my research question, I will be interested in college courses, specifically, “courses related
to gender” (question 3) and policy views, or, “Employer responsibility for gender-related policies” (question
2). In this hypothesis, ” courses related to gender ” is the independent variable and “Employer
responsibility for gender-related policies” is the dependent variable. I expect that more courses related to
gender will positively relate to workplace views. That is, the more gender-related courses a student will
take, the more likely they will to endorse employer responsibility for gender-related workplace policies. Make
sure you elaborate more than I have here – I can’t give the whole thing away!
COMPONENT 3: (Hypothetical) Survey
Variable 1: ‘College membership’ measured on a nominal level
Question 1: In what college are you currently enrolled?
1. Arts
2. Arts and Sciences
3. Behavioral and Community Sciences
4. Education
5. Engineering
6. Global Sustainability
7. Honors College
8. Marine Science
9. Nursing
10. Public Health
Variable 2: ‘Gendered work policy perceptions’ measured at the ordinal level.
Question 2: How much responsibility should an employer have in providing paid parental leave, family sick
leave, or healthcare in the absence of laws mandating such?
a. No responsibility
b. Some responsibility
c. A reasonable amount of responsibility
d. A great deal of responsibility
Variable 3: ‘Courses related to gender’ measured at the discrete interval-ratio level.
Question 3: How many courses related to, or focused on, gender do anticipate completing upon graduation?
1. One
2. Two
3. Three
4. Four
5. Five or more
Variable 4: “Training on gender relations” measured at the continuous interval-ratio level.
Question 4: Below, provide an estimate of the number of training hours you have received on how to reduce
gender inequality in your anticipated field.
Answer: ____ hours
Variable 5: “Gender” measured at the nominal level.
Question 5: How would you best describe your gender?
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a. Woman (cisgender)
b. Woman (transgender)
c. Man (cisgender)
d. Man (transgender)
PEER EVALUATION EXAMPLE
You are expected to provide two separate evaluations, here I have only one evaluation outlined:
Dr. Toothman,
I’m getting a sense that issues related to gender interest you! I can see here that the goal of this proposal is to test how
gender-related courses relate to perceptions of gendered work. policies. Here are my thoughts on each section:
COMPONENT 1: I can get a sense of the gender inequality; however, there are lots of percentages posted with few
summarizing sentences. Could you include a few lines that make a regular reader understand these numbers? Also, using
parenthetical citation would improve the readability of the paragraph here.
COMPONENT 2: “For more insight into this phenomenon, my target population will be graduate students at USF, from which
I will take a sample of roughly n=500 through telepathy. The sample is adequate in terms of gender, age, and racial diversity, but
may not be applicable to all graduate students because only ones with telepathy would respond. Further, telepathy isn’t a thing, so
I may not get any responses at all!”
Do you think that grad students are the best population to look to for your information? First, many of them go into
academia, second, finding 500 would be a challenge, and third, they don’t take that many courses! I wonder if undergrads
would be a better target population. Additionally, I read that data are often collected through questionnaires given to
actual people. How would telepathy work in getting you actual numbers? How would you be sure to actually include or
represent all students at USF?
COMPONENT 3: You have correctly specified your independent and dependent variables – that is, college courses
should precede (and inform) views on workplace policies. However, the reverse may also be true – what if views
impacted the number of courses taken? How would we address this?
COMPONENT 4: “”Variable 5: “Gender” measured at the nominal level.
Question 5: How would you best describe your gender?
a. Woman (cisgender)
b. Woman (transgender)
c. Man (cisgender)
d. Man (transgender)””
It appears as though this measure isn’t exhaustive (page 11 in textbook). There are people who have no gender, so this
question could be improved with the inclusion of an “agender” category. I do think it’s interesting to differentiate
between cis and non cis gender folks!
__________________________________________________________________
