The point of this assignment is to learn to use the Microcase cross-tabs program to produce a cross tabulation that can be used in your research report (if you choose to include it).

The first step is to open Microcase and open one of the survey research assignments.  In the lab, these can be found in the data/archive/survey/uss/  GSS or NES folders.   The software in the lab includes a number of files including Gss00 which can be used for this assignment.  A new file Gss04 has recently become available and has just been installed in the computer center in time for us to use (see below).  I have also put this and the new NES file on our WEBCT home page under Software and Readings.  If you are working from home you should download either the GSS2004.mc4 or the NES2004.mc4 data set, or both.  The GSS would probably be most useful for most of your projects.  You might also use your student software, if you are in Methods or still have that software from before.  However, the choice of variables in those data sets is smaller.

Once you have the software open and the proper survey dataset installed, you should open the CROSSTABS procedure on the Basic Statistics page.  Choose an independent variable and a dependent variable that are relevant to your project.  Do the cross-tabulation.  Then copy the cross-tab and paste it into a Word file.  Then retype the table in the correct form for a research report, including the chisquare results.  Type a sentence or two describing the result. 

The finished product should look like the one I did in class which is available here.

If this seems confusing to you, please come to class on Friday where you can get help.  If you can't make class, however, it will be considered on time if you get it into WEBCT any time Friday..


An email about New Files in the Computer Center: - it is usually best to use the "enhanced instructional versions":
The only version of MicroCase that will allow files to be opened over the
network is "MicroCase    Curriculum Plan 04-05" which can be found on
the lab systems via the Statistics folder on the Desktop.  By running
that version, it is possible to find and open the data files in the
following path (network drive):
N:\MicroCase\DS
...in which you will find the "enhanced instructional versions" and
the "original research versions" of the NES04 and GSS04 files, as well as
the GLOBAL05 file.