This assignment requires using both Microcase and Excel. 

First, open the Microcase Professional Software.  This is available in the "statistics" folder on the computers in the Rutgers network.  The Microcase software is also available for download from our "Software and Assignments" folder in WEBCT.   Then open the gss7204.mc4 data set.  You should find this in the Archive/Data/Survey/US/GSS folder on campus.  If you wish to work at home, you can download the data set from our WEBCT.  It is a large file.

Second, choose one variable to analyze.  Think carefully about this, because it should be a variable that you plan to focus on for your final report.  Otherwise you will need to redo the assignment for that report.  Cross-tabulate this variable with YEAR as the row variable and your variable as the Column variable.  Choose a variable which has been asked at least five or six times.  Recode the variable if necessary so you can get one meaningful percentage score for each year.

Third, enter the years and the data for ONE variable into Excel.   All on-campus computers have Excel.  If you do not have it at home, you can do this in another spreadsheet, but you have to figure it out yourself.

Next, check on the Chart Wizard.   Select XY scatter - (not line graph).    Highlight the cells with your years and data and make a graph.  There are instructins in the "help" featrure of excel if you need them.  Make a time series graph, open Microsoft Word, type a title andan introductory sentence.  then copy your graph into Word.  Save the Word file and submit it to the Assignment Dropbox.