Guide Sheet
Goal
The purpose of this assignment is to explore differences in racial and ethnic attitudes and behaviors through a data exploration report. The project aims to:
- Familiarize you with survey data.
- Provide experience in analyzing and interpreting data.
- Investigate the perspectives of racial minorities on political issues and variations in their behaviors.
The report consists of two components:
- Political Attitudes
- Political Participation
You will use data from the 2020 Collaborative Multi-Racial Post-Election Survey (CMPS) Results/Topline and the 2023 Survey of Consumer Attitudes and Behavior (SCAB) as primary sources. Additional reputable surveys (e.g., Pew Research, US Census, ANES) may be used for supplementary information. No prior statistical knowledge is required—skills necessary for this project will be taught.
Instructions
The report should be 2,000–3,500 words (5–10 pages) and divided into the following two sections:
1. Political Attitudes Section
Objective: Analyze variations in political attitudes among racial and ethnic groups.
- Choose a research question related to political attitudes (e.g., opinions on policies, presidential approval, economic perception, or feelings toward government institutions).
- Formulate a hypothesis and analyze the data to confirm or refute it.
Requirements:
- Select 5 related survey questions sharing a common theme (e.g., partisan affiliation or policy approval).
- Create at least 3 visual analyses or graphs to describe relationships or trends in the data.
- Report results (e.g., percentage of respondents in each group approving a policy).
- Interpret findings and explain observed patterns using readings and key concepts.
Word Count: 1,000–1,500 words
2. Political/Civic Participation Section
Objective: Explore variations in political or civic participation behaviors among racial and ethnic groups.
- Choose a research question related to civic/political participation (e.g., voting, volunteering, or donating to candidates).
- Formulate a hypothesis and analyze the data to confirm or refute it.
Requirements:
- Select 5 related survey questions sharing a common theme (e.g., voting behavior or political engagement).
- Create at least 3 visual analyses or graphs to describe relationships or trends in the data.
- Report results (e.g., percentage of respondents in each group who voted in the last election).
- Interpret findings and explain observed patterns using readings and key concepts.
Word Count: 1,000–1,500 words
Report Structure
Section 1: Political Attitudes
- Research Question:
__________________________________________________________________________
- Hypothesis:
__________________________________________________________________________
- Survey Question Choices (list question numbers and corresponding survey questions from the codebook):
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
- Graphs/Visual Analyses:
- Graph 1: Title/Description
- Graph 2: Title/Description
- Graph 3: Title/Description
Section 2: Political/Civic Participation
- Research Question:
__________________________________________________________________________
- Hypothesis:
__________________________________________________________________________
- Survey Question Choices (list question numbers and corresponding survey questions from the codebook):
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
- Graphs/Visual Analyses:
- Graph 1: Title/Description
- Graph 2: Title/Description
- Graph 3: Title/Description
