In this example, we have a worksheet containing the names of all of the Department of Statistics' full-time faculty members from the Spring 2021 semester.
These data are in the following files. The file ending in .mwx is a Minitab worksheet file; this can only be opened with Minitab 20. The file ending in .xlsx is an Excel file; this can be opened with any version of Minitab as well as with Excel:
FacultySP21.mwx
FacultySP21.xlsx
If this is your first time opening an .mwx file you may receive an error message if your computer does not know to open this in Minitab. You should be able to fix this by saving the file to your desktop, opening Minitab, and then opening the worksheet from within Minitab. After the first time, you computer should recognize that .mwx files should be opened with Minitab.
To select a simple random sample of 10 names from this dataset, follow the steps below. At the bottom of this section there is a video that shows where to click.
- Open the data in Minitab
- From the tool bar, select Calc > Sample from Columns...
- In the Number of rows to sample box, enter 10
- Click in the From columns box and then double click the Name variable
- Click in the Store samples in box and type MySample
- Click OK
The third column of your worksheet should now be labeled "MySample" and it should contain 10 names. Since we are using simple random sampling procedures, the results will be different each time due to random sampling variation. Try these steps a few times, you should see that you get a different set of 10 names each time.
Video Walkthrough
| survey | research method in which people respond to questions |
| population | a group of people with certain specified characteristics |
| sample | a group of people that represent a larger population |
| representative sample | a sample that accurately reflects the chracteristics of the population as a whole |
| questionnaire | a written set of questions to be answered by a research participant |
| interview | a survey method in which a trained researcher asks questions and records the answers |
| closed-ended questions | questions a person must answer by choosing from a limited, predetermined set of responses |
| open-ended questions | questions a person is to answer in his or her own words |
| secondary analysis | using precollected information for data collections and research purposes |
| field research | research that takes place in a natural (nonlaboratory) setting |
| case study | intensive study of a single group, incident, or community |
| participant observation | a case study where the researcher becomes a member of the group being studied |
| mode | number that occurs most frequently |
| median | number that divides a series of values in half |
| mean | average |
| multiple causation | the belief that an event occurs as a result of several factors working in combination |
| causation | the belief that events occur in predictable ways and that one event leads to another |
| variable | a characteristic that is subject to change |
| quantitative variable | a characteristic that can be measured numerically |
| qualitative variable | a characteristic that is defined by its presence or absence in a category |
| independent variable | a characteristic that causes something to occur |
| dependent variable | a characteristic that reflects a change |
| intervening variable | a variable that changes the relationship between an independent and a dependent variable |
| correlation | a measure of the realationship between two variables |
| negative correlation | variables change in opposite directions |
| positive correlation | both variables move in the same directions |
| spurious correlations | a relationship between two variables that is actually caused by a third factor |
| scientific method | the recognition and formulation of a problem, the collection of data through observation and experiment, and the formulation and testing of hypotheses |
| hypothesis | testable statement of relationships among variables |
| Survey Disadvantage | Expensive to produce and distribute |
| Survey Advantage | responses can be easily compared |
| Secondary Analysis Advantage | Inexpensive |
| Secondary Anaylsis Disadvantage | Outdated information |
| Survey Advantage | Inofrmation on large numbers of people |
| Case Study Advantage | Provides depth of understanding from group members' viewpoint |
| Case Study Disadvantage | Takes lots of time |
| Qualitative Research | Case study |
| Quantitative Research | Survey, Secondary Analysis, and Experiments |
| Case Study Advantage | Unexpected discoveries and new insights can be incorporated |
| Case Study Disadvantage | Presence of researcher can influence results |
| Case Study Advantage | Permits the study of social behavior not feasible with quantitative methods |
| Case Study Disadvantage | Hard to duplicate |
| Case Study Disadvantage | Difficult to generalize findings from one group to another group |
| Sociology Code of Ethics | Show Objectivity |
| Sociology Code of Ethics | Protecting the rights, privacy, integrity, dignity, and freedom of research subjects |
| Sociology Code of Ethics | Report findings and methods truthfully |
| Standards for showing Causation | Two variable must be correlated |
| Standards for showing Causation | All other possible factors must be taken into account |
| Standards for showing Causation | A change in the independent variable must occur before a change in the dependent variable can occur. |