SPSS: Descriptive Statistics Assignment Liberty U Student D

SPSS: Descriptive Statistics Assignment Liberty U. Student Department of Psychology, Liberty University

Analyze three demographic variables from a dataset, create appropriate tables and figures for each, and describe the sample's demographic characteristics. Reverse-score specified Grit Scale items, compute total Grit scores, and analyze the distribution with relevant descriptive statistics and a figure. Summarize findings, interpret results, and assess how the sample compares to general populations.

Paper For Above instruction

The present study aims to conduct a comprehensive descriptive analysis of demographic variables within a dataset derived from college students at a private university in the southeastern United States. Specifically, three demographic variables—such as gender, age, and ethnicity—will be examined to understand the sample's composition. The analysis includes generating appropriate tables displaying frequencies or descriptive statistics, accompanied by visual figures (e.g., bar charts, histograms) to illustrate variable distributions. These visual and statistical summaries help contextualize the sample and its representativeness.

Initially, attention must be paid to the Grit Scale as a measure of psychological perseverance. The dataset includes 12 items, with certain items requiring reverse-scoring based on the scoring instructions provided by Duckworth et al. (2007). The reverse-scored items are GS1, GS4, GS6, GS9, GS10, and GS12, which need to be transformed so that higher scores uniformly indicate higher grit. This transformation involves inverting the responses: responses of 1 become 5, 2 become 4, 3 remain unchanged, 4 become 2, and 5 become 1. A new variable, e.g., GS1r, will represent each reverse-scored item.

Following the scoring adjustments, a total Grit score for each respondent will be calculated by summing the item responses, dividing by 12 to obtain a mean score, and then analyzing the distribution of this total score. This involves computing measures of central tendency such as the mean and median, measures of variability like standard deviation and range, and assessment of skewness and kurtosis to evaluate normality. Additionally, a histogram or density plot will be created to visually depict the distribution of Grit scores, with an APA-formatted figure caption.

The demographic analysis extends to summarizing the characteristics of the sample. For categorical variables such as gender or ethnicity, frequency tables and bar charts will be generated, reporting percentages and counts. Continuous variables like age will be summarized using descriptive statistics such as mean, median, standard deviation, and range. All tables and figures will adhere to current APA formatting standards, including clear, descriptive headings and figure captions.

The final step involves synthesizing these findings into a verbal summary. This section will describe the demographic composition, noting the percentage of male and female participants and other characteristics examined. The distribution of Grit scores will be interpreted concerning normality assumptions, supported by skewness, kurtosis, and visual inspection. The mean and standard deviation of Grit scores will be discussed in relation to previous research, considering whether the sample resembles the general U.S. population or specific subgroups. Critiques about the data collection method—such as online self-reporting, sample representativeness, and potential biases—will be offered to contextualize the findings within the broader research landscape.

References

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  • U.S. Census Bureau. (2020). Population distribution and demographics. https://www.census.gov
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