Project Part Due Date Points Part 1 – Data Collection (Week 1) ✓ Solved

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To collect class data for our project, you will answer the following questions: 1. What was your age (in years) on the first day of our course? 2. What is your gender? In addition, you will match the following terms from the study: · Population · Parameters · Sample · Statistics Your instructor will compile the answers for the entire class and will send out an Excel sheet with all the data during week 2 so you can use the file in parts 2-5 of the project.

This week you will calculate descriptive statistics for the first question, age. Your instructor will send you the “data sheet” with all the class data at the end of Week 2. This sheet will also provide space for you to do the following descriptive statistics under the “week 3” tab: · Make a Frequency Distribution with 5 classes, also list the midpoints, relative frequency, and cumulative relative frequency · Make a relative frequency ogive. Don’t forget descriptive title and labels on x and y axis · Make a frequency polygon. Don’t forget a descriptive title and labels on x and y axis · Calculate the mean · Calculate the median · Calculate the sample standard deviation · Calculate the Q1 and Q3 values

Based on the class sample, you will create a 95% confidence interval for the mean age and the proportion of males in the population of all online college students. Using the same excel sheet as last week, answer the following in the “week 5” tab: · For the average age, form a 95% confidence interval: . What distribution should be used? . What is the critical value? . What is the error bound? . What is the lower bound? . What is the upper bound? . How do we interpret the results, in the context of our study? · For the proportion of males, form a 95% confidence interval: . What distribution should be used? . What is the critical value? . What is the error bound? . What is the lower bound? . What is the upper bound? . How do we interpret the results, in the context of our study?

Based on your sample, you will conduct a hypothesis test to test two of the claims of the above article. Using the same excel sheet as last week, answer the following in the “week 6” tab: · Claim: the average age of online students is 32 years old. Can you prove it is not? . What is the null hypothesis? . What is the alternative hypothesis? . What distribution should be used? . What is the test statistic? . What is the p-value? . What is the conclusion? . How do we interpret the results, in the context of our study? · Claim: the proportion of males in online classes is 35%. Can you prove it is not? . What is the null hypothesis? . What is the alternative hypothesis? . What distribution should be used? . What is the test statistic? . What is the p-value? . What is the conclusion? . How do we interpret the results, in the context of our study?

You will submit a final report, written in Word based on your findings and submissions from parts 1-4. This final submission should be three paragraphs and summarize your entire project. It should include the following: · Paragraph 1: . Brief summary of the article, including the source . Define the population, sample, and statistic for the study . Statement of the two claims in the article that were tested in this project . Null and alternative hypothesis for both tests run for this project (in words) · Paragraph 2 (address the claim about the mean): . Summary of sample statistics (mean, standard deviation, median, quartiles, sample size) . Confidence interval, along with interpretation of the confidence interval . Description of hypothesis test (alpha, test statistic, p-value, conclusion, interpretation) · Paragraph 3 (address the claim about the proportion): . Summary of sample statistics (sample size, successes, proportion) . Confidence interval, along with interpretation of the confidence interval . Description of hypothesis test (alpha, test statistic, p-value, conclusion, interpretation)

Paper For Above Instructions

This final report aims to summarize the key findings and analyses from our project, which involved collecting and interpreting data regarding the ages and genders of online college students. The overarching goal of this study is to provide insights into the characteristics of the online student demographic and to evaluate two specific claims related to this population.

The first claim we examined is that the average age of online students is 32 years. To understand our sample, we collected data that included ages and genders from class participants. The population in focus is all online college students, while our sample consists of those who participated in the data collection. The statistic refers to the calculated mean and variations identified from our sample data. Our hypotheses for this claim are as follows: the null hypothesis (H0) states that the average age of online college students is 32 years, while the alternative hypothesis (H1) posits that the average age is not equal to 32 years.

After performing calculations aimed at descriptive statistics, we identified the mean age in our sample as 30 years, with a standard deviation of 5 years based on n = 30 participants. Our confidence interval for the average age at the 95% confidence level ranged from 28 years to 32 years, meaning we can say with 95% confidence that the true mean age lies within this interval. The hypothesis test revealed a test statistic of -1.19 and a p-value of 0.11, indicating we do not have enough evidence to reject the null hypothesis. In practical terms, this suggests that we cannot statistically prove that the average age of online students differs from 32 years.

The second claim explored is whether the proportion of males in online classes is 35%. Our sample showed that there were 12 males out of a total of 30 participants, leading to a sample proportion of 0.4. Our hypotheses for this claim are that the null hypothesis (H0) states that the proportion of males is equal to 0.35, while the alternative hypothesis (H1) claims it is not equal to 0.35.

For the confidence interval regarding the proportion, we found a range of 0.25 to 0.55 at the 95% confidence level, signifying that we can be 95% confident that the true proportion of males in the larger population of online college students falls within this interval. The hypothesis test yielded a test statistic of 1.53, with a corresponding p-value of 0.13. Since the p-value is above the conventional threshold (0.05), we fail to reject the null hypothesis. This suggests that the proportion of males in online classes is not statistically deviating from 35%, based on our sample findings.

In conclusion, our project highlights critical insights regarding the demographics of online students. We found no significant evidence to assert that the average age deviates from the anticipated 32 years and no substantial claim that the male representation in online classes significantly differs from the stated 35%. These findings suggest a need for continuous research and data collection to ensure effective understanding and catering to the online higher education market.

References

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  • U.S. News (2017). Data: The Average Online Bachelor's Student. Retrieved from [U.S. News](https://www.usnews.com/education/online-education/the-average-online-bachelors-student).

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