Statistics and Software in Assessment

Subject 460-642 (2008)

Note: This is an archived Handbook entry from 2008.Search for this in the current handbook

Credit Points: 12.500
Level: Graduate/Postgraduate
Dates & Locations:

This subject is not offered in 2008.
Time Commitment: Contact Hours: 18 hours
Total Time Commitment: 120 hors total commitment
Prerequisites: None
Corequisites: None
Recommended Background Knowledge: None
Non Allowed Subjects: None
Core Participation Requirements:

For the purposes of considering request for Reasonable Adjustments under the Disability Standards for Education (Cwth 2005), and Student Support and Engagement Policy, academic requirements for this subject are articulated in the Subject Overview, Learning Outcomes, Assessment and Generic Skills sections of this entry.

It is University policy to take all reasonable steps to minimise the impact of disability upon academic study, and reasonable adjustments will be made to enhance a student's participation in the University's programs. Students who feel their disability may impact on meeting the requirements of this subject are encouraged to discuss this matter with a Faculty Student Adviser and Student Equity and Disability Support: http://services.unimelb.edu.au/disability

Coordinator

Thi Kim Cuc Nguyen
Subject Overview: The subject is designed for students with little or no experience in working with data and with computer packages that are typically used for data analyses. Topics will include data entry, management and data analysis. Common computer software programs will be used and some basic keyboard skills and/or experience with Microsoft Windows are an advantage. This subject provides development opportunioties for people new to the use of packages relevant to educational research and assessment. The subject will provide sufficient knowledge of MS Excel, SPSS and text editor programs to enable students to prepare, check and analyze data obtained from surveys, tests and other quantitative data collection sources. Instruction and practical work will be integrated into sessions of the subject. This subject will also introduce students to some of the basic statistics relevant to data analysis, to help with an understanding of the relevant use of the software packages.
Assessment: Exercises and reports equivalent to 4,000 words in total (100 per cent).
Prescribed Texts: Bryman, A. and Cramer, D. Quantitative Data Analysis with SPSS12 and 13: A guide for social scientists. London , New York : Routledge, 2005.
Breadth Options:

This subject is not available as a breadth subject.
Fees Information: Subject EFTSL, Level, Discipline & Census Date
Generic Skills:

On completion of this subject, students should be able to:

  • develop foundation skills in data entry, cleaning, analysis and reporting of quantitative data using a range of computer software applications that are integral to the field of educational research and measurement;
  • operate within a range of Microsoft Windows environments;
  • prepare, enter and clean data prior to analysis;
  • define, create and modify variables for analysis in packages;
  • use syntax files for analysing data using SPSS;
  • run exploratory and statistical analysis using data prepared in SPSS;
  • run basic analyses in MS Excel;
  • carry out computations of means, modes and medians;
  • understand normal and uniform distributions.

On completion of this subject, students should be able to:

  • Skills in using a range of packages such as SPSS, MS Excel and generic computing skills;
  • Skills in data management, analysing and communicating results.
Related Course(s): Postgraduate Certificate in Assessment and Evaluation

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