Soc. 215: Demographic Methods Morgan

Assignment 8: Final assignment

Choose a "demographic" data set that you might use in the future (see syllabus for some examples and web sites: http://www.soc.duke.edu/~pmorgan/soc.215.htm). If you have a research topic in mind, then I can help with a suggestion. Find out basic information about this data source. Can you get access? How? What are the key features of the sampling design? What are the strengths and weaknesses of these data? What question might you address with these data?

Prepare a report and be prepared to present it in class. You might want to make a transparency to help you make your points. Your in-class presentation (on 4/20) cannot exceed 6 minutes. I expect that your report will be 3-4 pages with (maybe) some tables/figures. The written version must be turned in by 4/24.

Suggested Outline

I. Introduction: Problem of interest and possible "matching" data set

II. Access to data

III. Structure of sample (lexis diagram?), Size of sample

IV. Information included

V. Strengths and weaknesses of these data given your particular interest