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In this assignment, you will be challenged to look at how statistical tests, such as correlation are commonly used and the possible limitations of such analyses. In addition, you will need to identify the appropriate application of course-specified statistical tests, examine assumptions and limitations of course specified statistical tests, and communicate in writing critiques of statistical tests. 

Much has been written about the relationship between students’ SAT test scores and their family’s income.  Generally speaking, there is a strong positive correlation between income and SAT scores.  Consider and discuss the following questions as you respond: What does      this correlation tell you?  Is this      correlation evidence that having a high family income causes one to have      high SAT scores?  Is this      correlation evidence that high SAT scores are a cause of higher      income?  Or, does this tell you something else?  Explain your      answer. Explain      why correlation alone is rarely sufficient to demonstrate cause.

Article

Kirwan, J., Lounsbury, J., Gibson, L. (2010). Self-direction in learning and personality: The Big Five and narrow personality traits in relation to learner self-direction. International Journal of Self-Directed Learning, 7(2), 21-34.  Retrieved from http://sdlglobal.com/IJSDL/IJSDL7.2-2010.pdf#page=25 This is an      article about personality, self-directed learning, and scale development      and the major traits that may affect them.  These include:      agreeableness, conscientiousness, emotional stability, and      openness.   It incorporates correlation and regression      procedures with tables that display the statistical results. 

Stark, P.B. (2013). Chapter 9: Regression (Links to an external site.)Links to an external site..  Retrieved from http://www.stat.berkeley.edu/~stark/SticiGui/Text/regression.htm This      website contains several video lectures and examples of how regression is      used.

Trochim, W. M.  (2006). Correlation (Links to an external site.)Links to an external site..  In Research Methods Knowledge Base.  Retrieved from http://www.socialresearchmethods.net/kb/statcorr.php This      website contains many tutorials and tools for statistical analyses and      methods used in the social sciences.  This particular page is a      detailed description, with examples and graphs, to help understand      correlation statistics.

Websites

VassarStats: Website for Statistical Computation (Links to an external site.)Links to an external site.. (http://vassarstats.net/) This      website includes tools to calculate many of the statistical tests we cover      in this course including t-tests,      ANOVA, correlation, and regression.  Each calculator includes a      tutorial and/or walkthrough.

Web Center for Social Research Methods (Links to an external site.)Links to an external site.. (http://socialresearchmethods.net/) This      website includes links to numerous tools and tutorials relating to      statistical concepts, calculations, and scale development.