SOCI 211 Chapter Notes - Chapter 14: Multivariate Analysis, Stata, Continuous Or Discrete Variable

• School: McGill University
• Department: Sociology
• Course: SOCI 211
• Professor: Michael Smith

Document Summary

Quantitative analysis is the numerical representation and manipulation of observations for the purpose of describing and explaining the phenomena that those observations reflect. This process of quantification allows data to be recoded on a computer or some other device for storing information that can be read by the computer and then statistically analyzed. Researchers analyze data to discover and substantiate patterns and relationships, test our expectations and draw inferences. The analysis of the simultaneous association of age, education, and prejudice is an example of multivariate analysis. Multivariate analysis is a general term for the analysis of several variables but does not refer to a specific form of analysis. Multivariate analysis can be best seen though contingency tables or cross tabulations. Research methods are systematic procedures for linking abstract ideas with concrete evidence. Qualitative research methods tradition starts with concrete observations and uses its tools and techniques to construct a meaningful narrative that makes sense of the observed pattern.