MATH309 – Portfolio Project 3
MATH309 – Statistics
Portfolio Project Directions and Rubric
This Portfolio Project is worth 28% of your grade
Outcomes
Completing this Assessment will help you to meet the following:
Course Outcomes
Organize data for analysis in the form of graphs, tables, and frequency distributions.
Calculate statistical data for measures of central tendency and dispersion.
Investigate dispersion through normal distributions using range, mean, standard deviation and z scores,
Collect, organize, and interpret data to perform regression analysis.
Measure location, variation, probabilities, distributions, and expectations.
Formulate a hypothesis, test a hypothesis, and interpret the results.
Draw conclusions and/or make decisions through the application and analysis of mathematical
models using Microsoft Excel.
Institutional Outcomes
Quantitative and Scientific Reasoning – Follow established methods of inquiry and mathematical reasoning to form conclusions and make decisions.
Deadline
Deliverable items for the Portfolio Project will be required at different points during the course. Details for each submission are included below in the Deliverable Descriptions.
Directions
Your bottom line is to develop a five to eight-page research paper using statistical analysis in your research. You have recently completed your degree at Bryant & Stratton College, and have secured an entry level professional position with an employer in your field of study. Your employer would like you to do research and will give you latitude to develop research and find data related to your field of study. The research must follow the data requirements detailed in the project directions, with proper documentation for each section detailed in a Word document.
This is an opportunity for you to showcase to your employer your statistical analysis, analyzing, and synthesis skills using Excel and Word. The results of your research should provide evidence and persuasion for your employer to act on your research findings within your research paper.
Requirements and Formatting
Your Portfolio Project must be formatted as follows:
APA formatting
Title Page
Times New Roman or Arial 12-point font
1-inch margins
Page numbers in top right corner
Deliverable Descriptions
Week 2
Due by the end of Week 2 at 11:59 pm, ET.
This week you will be starting your research paper. Please submit your research file (Word doc) and data set (please submit a screen print of your data set) in Blackboard in Week 2. Your Word doc should be two pages in length (Page 1 – Title Page, Page 2 – Statement of the Problem).
Below are some resources on developing a Statement of the Problem:
Video: How to Write a Specific Problem Statement
ink: The Basics of Writing a Statement of the Problem for Your Research Proposal
Statement of the Problem: Based upon the data found, you must state what is the data about and what is the intent of examining this data set. You should also answer the following questions:
What is the specific topic that you will research?
What do you hope to get from examining this data/research topic?
How is this related to your major?
What makes this data interesting to you to study?
Finding a Valid Data Set: You will need to find valid data for your project. To that end, you want to select real data from reputable sources that relates to your degree and field of study for your employer. You may use the provided Appendix A of websites to search for data; however, you are not limited to using these links provided but can also utilize our Virtual Library to find scholarly articles or research data, as well as your favorite search engine to find data you would be interested in studying.
Week 3
Due by the end of Week 3 at 11:59 pm, ET.
This week you will be completing the below sections of your research paper as a continuation of your research paper. Please recall that APA format has a page dedicated to any references, and all references for the project should be placed there.
Literature Review: In this section of the paper, you will explain the purpose of your research based on the efforts of other researchers. Using the Virtual Library or Google Scholar to find academic papers, you should identify at least one study performed by others about your topic. After reading your selected academic paper, you will summarize what the study is about and what the conclusions were. Next, you should discuss how your study relates to that previous work in the field.
Below is a video reference on Literature Reviews:
Video: How to Write a Mini Literature Review
Week 4
Due by the end of Week 4 at 11:59 pm, ET.
This week you will be completing the below sections of your research paper as a continuation of your Word document.
Goal Statement: State your research goals and objectives. To note, a goal is an overarching principle that guides decision making. Objectives are specific, measurable steps that can be taken to meet the goal. To help you flesh out this section, think of the following questions: What is the end goal you are hoping this research will show? How do you plan to go about examining this? Are there certain statistical tests you are planning on using?
Research Questions: List at minimum two research questions you would like the study to answer. Be sure to identify any statistical variables that you will consider and their potential influence on the other variables you identify.
Below is a video resource on Research Questions:
Video: Developing a Research Question
Methodology: During the term we studied graphs, tables, frequency distributions, measures of central tendency and dispersion, normal distributions calculated through range, mean, standard deviation, and z scores, regression analysis, the measurement of location, variation, probabilities, distributions, and expectations for formulating and testing a hypothesis and interpreting the results. For methodology, include the following:
Create a hypothesis from your research.
Use this video link as a resource: How to Formulate a Hypothesis
Explain how you plan to test your hypothesis
Identify how you plan to organize your data
Identify how you plan to calculate your statistical data
Identify how you plan to investigate associated dispersions
Explain if you plan to conduct a regression analysis or correlation or t-test, and the measurements you plan to use
You will be utilizing descriptive analysis and using descriptive statistics within Data Analysis in Excel (mean, median, standard deviation analysis, minimum, maximum). Depending on your data, you may also be utilizing some of the following to analyze your data: (a) Correlation (b) Linear Regression or (c) t-test.
Below are resource videos on these topics:
Correlations with Excel Video: How to Find Correlation in Excel With the Data Analysis Toolpak
Linear Regression with Excel Video: Excel – Simple Linear Regression
T-Test with Excel Video: How to Do a Two Sample T Test Paired Two Sample for Means in Excel 2013
Using Excel for descriptive Statistics Video: Descriptive Statistics in Excel with Data Analysis Toolpak
Week 5
Due by the end of Week 5 at 11:59 pm, ET.
This week your analysis should be performed in Excel and documented in your research paper.
Data Analysis: Utilizing the data you have found for this project, perform all necessary analysis; this will include any mean, variance, and standard deviation calculations, as well as any other tests you identified in your methodology. Based on the data you have found, represent your findings through the organizational means you identified in your methodology and be sure to include as exhibits all the statistical computations performed within your Word document and submit your updated research paper in Blackboard.
Week 6
Due by the end of Week 6 at 11:59 pm, ET.
Submit your rough draft Word doc of your work to this point in Blackboard.
Week 7: Final Submission to ePortfolio
Due by the end of Week 7 at 11:59 pm, ET.
This week you will be completing the below sections of your research paper as a continuation of your research project. In addition to submitting your research paper, please submit your Excel file(s) used for the Data Analysis in Blackboard by the end of Week 7.
Conclusion: Based on your data, discuss the following in your Word document:
Whether your findings confirm or refute your hypothesis
The effect of these findings on your goal statement
The related answers this data provides to your research question
How your findings inform the statement of problem you provide at the beginning.
Also, synthesize, analyze, and evaluate your findings in the context of the literature review you performed.
Reflection: Finally, include a discussion of the project itself within your Word document. Discuss the following in this reflection:
How this project illustrated the importance of statistics in your career and community
How these efforts connect to prior courses you have taken and could inform future courses in your program
The process you used to complete the project
How this process changed your perspective on some element of your learning
How this new approach could help you in future courses.
Incorporate instructor feedback, make any additional corrections, and submit to your ePortfolio.
Upload your Portfolio Project to the Institutional Outcome in your ePortfolio listed below. Use the following naming convention: MATH309 – Portfolio Project:
Quantitative and Scientific Reasoning – Follow established methods of inquiry and mathematical reasoning to form conclusions and make decisions.
For directions on how to upload your project to your ePortfolio, please see Student Resources in Blackboard on the navigation pane.
For specific grading information, please refer to the Portfolio Project Grading Rubric
Below you will find an example of the research paper you can use as a template. The example is based on a Criminal Justice topic.
Appendix A – Suggested Websites for Data Sets
Data.gov: http://data.gov
US Census Bureau: http://www.census.gov/data.html
Open Data Network: https://www.opendatanetwork.com/
European Union Open Data Portal: http://open-data.europa.eu/en/data/
Data.gov.uk: http://data.gov.uk/
Canada Open Data: https://open.canada.ca/en
The CIA World Factbook: https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/
Healthdata.gov: https://www.healthdata.gov/
UNICEF: https://www.unicef.org/reports
World Health Organization: http://www.who.int/en/
Amazon Web Services public datasets: http://aws.amazon.com/datasets
Google Public Data Explorer: https://www.google.com/publicdata/directory
Gapminder: http://www.gapminder.org/data/
National Climatic Data Center: http://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/data-access/quick-links#loc-clim
Dr. John Rasp’s Statistics Website: http://www2.stetson.edu/~jrasp/data.htm
MATH309 Portfolio Project Grading Rubric
Criteria
Level 4
Level 3
Level 2
Level 1
Points
Statement of Problem
10 points
10 points
Problem is in students’ degree field, clearly stated, and relates to the topic.
8 points
Problem is clearly stated and relates to the topic.
6 points
Problem is clearly stated.
0 points
Problem is not clearly stated.
Literature Review
20 points
10 points
Student locates four or more sources and objectively discusses their findings and relationship to study.
8 points
Student locates three sources for the literature review and discusses their findings and relationship to the study.
6 points
Student locates two sources for and discusses their findings.
0 points
Student fails to locate any sources.
Goal Statement
5 points
5 points
Goal statement is interesting, clear, and relates to the topic.
4 points
Goal statement is clear and relates to the topic.
3.5 points
Goal statement is clear.
0 points
Goal statement is not clear.
Research Questions
10 points
10 points
Provides a series of interesting research questions and clearly identifies each of the variables and their potential influence on other variables.
8 points
Provides a series of research questions and identifies some variables along with some of their potential influence on other variables.
6 points
Provides some research questions and identifies a few variables.
0 points
No research questions provided
Methodology
10 points
10 points
Hypothesis is interesting, plan to test hypothesis is effective, data organization is efficient, plan to calculate statistical data is effective, plan to investigate associated dispersions is effective, regression analysis plan is effective, and/or the measurements are appropriate.
8 points
Hypothesis is effective, plan to test hypothesis is provided, data organization is evident, plan to calculate statistical data is presented, plan to investigate associated dispersions is indicated, regression analysis plan is offered, and/or the measurements are provided.
6 points
Hypothesis is ineffective, plan to test hypothesis is ineffective, data organization is ineffective, plan to calculate statistical data is ineffective, plan to investigate associated dispersions is ineffective, regression analysis plan is ineffective, and/or the measurements are inappropriate.
0 points
No hypothesis is provided, there is no plan to test the hypothesis, data organization plan is not provided, statistical processes are not provided, and no measurements are offered.
Data Analysis
40 points
40 points
Data analysis and Excel work is structured in column format, answers identified, and columns labeled, and very thorough, and appropriate to the topic. Analysis justifies and support conclusions.
32 points
Data analysis and Excel work is good and reasonably complete. Conclusions are consistent with analysis.
28 points
Analysis is rudimentary at best. Conclusions are present but not well supported by the analysis.
0 points
Analysis is inappropriate or missing. Conclusions are invalid or missing.
Conclusion
10 points
10 points
Conclusion and Reflection are interesting, clearly stated, related to the topic, and addresses all stated questions in the supplied assignment prompt.
8 points
Conclusion and Reflection are clear, mostly relates to the topic, and addresses most stated questions in the supplied assignment prompt.
6 points
Conclusion and Reflection are somewhat clear, somewhat relates to the topic, and addresses some of the stated questions in the supplied assignment prompt.
0 points
Conclusion and Reflection are unclear, does not relate to the topic, and addresses few if any of the stated questions in the supplied assignment prompt.
Grammar, Mechanics, and Information Literacy
5 points
5 points
Few, if any, grammatical or mechanical errors. All supplied data and sources are appropriate and properly documented in APA format.
4 points
Some grammatical and mechanical errors. Some supplied data and sources are appropriate and properly documented in APA format.
3.5 points
Many grammatical and mechanical errors. Most supplied data is not appropriate and is not properly documented in APA format.
0 points
Grammatical and mechanical errors seriously inhibit the project’s effectiveness. Nearly all or all of the supplied data is inappropriate and and is not properly documented in APA format.
Instructor Comments:
Total Points: