88017 - Data Analysis And Presentation Laboratory

Academic Year 2019/2020

  • Teaching Mode: Traditional lectures
  • Campus: Forli
  • Corso: First cycle degree programme (L) in International relations and diplomatic affairs (cod. 8048)

Learning outcomes

At the end of the seminar, the student has a basic knowledge of univariate and bivariate statistical analysis and develops the skills to use statistical software. In particular, the student will be able to: - set the collection of data through questionnaires; - Perform simple analyses on survey data using STATA; - present data in graphs and tables; - discuss the results of those analyses.

Course contents

In any field of research and in many professions it is increasingly useful to know how to analyse and interpret statistical data on the evolution of social phenomena, be it data on the economy, consumption levels, electoral participation, immigration, public spending, the guaranteed freedom or conflict registered in certain segments of the territory of a single country or in different states, or individual opinions measured through surveys. Sometimes the data are used to describe the social phenomena in question, in other cases to understand how two or more phenomena are related to each other. This course offers a methodological introduction and a practical guide to the use of one of the most popular software that allow to perform basic quantitative analysis (frequencies, cross tabulations) and visualize them through appropriate graphical tools.

Readings/Bibliography

Piergiorgio Corbetta, La ricerca sociale: metodologia e tecniche. IV. L'analisi dei dati, Il Mulino, 2015.

Teaching methods

Lectures. Practical exercises on data analysis guided by the teacher.

Assessment methods

During the last class, students will take a written exam aimed at evaluating their knowledge of basic notions of methodology, their ability to perform simple statistical analyses of survey data using STATA and to present the results of those analyses in graphs and tables.

Teaching tools

PowerPoint presentations.

Office hours

See the website of Nicola De Luigi