Introduction to Social Data Analytics

Learning Outcomes

Knowledge and Understanding

Having successfully completed this module, you will be able to demonstrate knowledge and understanding of:

• Interpret the outcomes of statistical tests and measures
• Select and apply appropriate methods to analyse quantitative data
• Identify how other researchers have used quantitative methods to explore topics in social sciences including psychology
• Use a statistical programme to analyse quantitative data appropriately and accurately
• Present data and statistical outcome clearly in appropriate graphs or tables

The module will follow on from the first year RESM modules, which covered visualising data and descriptive analysis (means, modes, medians, percentiles, variance, standard deviation, interquartile range, skew, kurtosis, bimodal distributions, transforming data, normal distribution, z-scores). The material covered in this module will include:

• Understanding sampling distributions, the Central Limit Theorem, standard error and confidence intervals
• Z-tests and T-tests
• ANOVA
• Chi-Square Test
• Correlation
• Simple regression
• Non-parametric methods (e.g. Mann-Whitney-U, Spearman rank)
• Selecting a sample, sample size and power calculations
• Scale construction

A statistical analysis programme will be used throughout the module to strengthen understanding of the quantitative methods, while exploring the programme itself for use in dissertations/further modules

Teaching and learning methods

This module will be taught using a blended learning approach, with flipped learning for the main lectures. Videos on each method will be recorded and placed online for students to watch before the lectures. There will be one full group lecture each week, to revise the method for that week and to conduct interactive questions to gauge understanding.

Each week there will also be a tutorial which will work through in depth problem sets. These will be in mixed groups, apart from those who are taking criminology and psychology, who will be grouped together in order to study examples from psychology.

There will also be a computer workshop each week in order to apply the methods and to learn the selected computer programme.

Summative

This is how we’ll formally assess what you have learned in this module.

Referral

This is how we’ll assess you if you don’t meet the criteria to pass this module.

Repeat

An internal repeat is where you take all of your modules again, including any you passed. An external repeat is where you only re-take the modules you failed.