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SPSS Tutoring: Session Information

Statistics Skills Support Conference Session Information

The 2015 Statistics Support Conference was held on October 7, 2015. Stay tuned for future events by visiting the Academic Skills Center's website.

2015 Fall Conference Presentations and Descriptions

Avoiding Potential Pitfalls of Quantitative Studies

Sarah Inkpen, MEd & Patrick Dunn, PhD

Session Description: During this informal roundtable discussion, Sarah Inkpen and Patrick Dunn will discuss common pitfalls students experience when conducting a quantitative dissertation study, and how to avoid them. Come prepared with questions about your own doctoral work as points of discussion. For doctoral students conducting (or thinking about conducting) quantitative research.


Career Services Center Panel: Statistics in the Workplace

Panelists: 

Panelists: Dina Bergren, MA; Denise Pranke, MEd; Sharon Roberts, MBA; Steve Mairs, MPA; Zin Htway, PhD

Moderator: Pat Dunn, PhD

Session Description: How can knowledge of statistics impact your career?  Join Walden Career Services staff, students, and alumni as we explore the broad gamut of career fields that require statistical knowledge.  In this session, the panel will discuss how statistics can be used across multiple fields, the relevance of statistical knowledge in the workplace, and how Career Services supports students in marketing their skills. Session open to all Walden University students and alumni. 


Matching Variable Types to Common Statistical Tests

Patrick Dunn, Ph.D.

Session Description:  The key to answering your research question is selecting the right statistical test, and the key to performing that test is having the right variable types.  This presentation will address the types of variables that are required for common statistical tests.  This information will help the student in designing their data collection methodology, and prevent mistakes that can occur when the right test is selected, but the wrong variable types are measured. For doctoral students working on their proposals.


Matrix Correlation 

Heather Walzel, MSN-ED, RN  & Kim Palermo-Kielb, MS

Session Description: This presentation and discussion will focus on how to read and identify variable in a matrix. During the presentation, Heather Walzel will discuss  what a matrix is, how to identify variables in a matrix, and how to read a matrix.  Plan to come prepared with your own questions for points of discussion.  For all students interested in learning more about matrix correlation. Content covered will be on general topics, with some discussion and application related to nursing and biostatistics.


New to Stats? An Introduction to Statistics and SPSS for Walden Students

Kim Palermo-Kielb, MS & Toby Yak, MPH

Session Description:  This session will cover basic SPSS usage and statistical concepts and provide a brief overview of Walden’s tutoring services program for statistics support. For students who are new to using SPSS and statistical tests for level one statistics. Students will learn how to access the ASC Tutoring website, its learning resources, and navigating the scheduling system to be able to make tutoring appointments.  Students will learn SPSS basics such as downloading and working with simple data for the most popular types of statistical analysis.    


 Polish the Paper: Capstone Writing Resources from the Academic Skills Center

Emily Dahlen, MEd & Shawn Picht, MA

Session Description: In addition to statistics and SPSS tutoring, the Academic Skills Center offers a number of resources for students in their capstones. This session will give an overview of the other ASC resources for students in their capstones, such as the doctoral writing workshops and the capstone course visits. For doctoral students who are in or nearing proposal stage. Students who attend this session will learn about ASC’s other resources for students in their capstones (outside of statistics and SPSS tutoring). 


Statistical Testing for Doctoral Dissertation

Zin Htway, PhD & Patrick Dunn, PhD

Session Description: When it’s time to determine which statistical tests will yield the most appropriate results, sometimes it is difficult to know which type of test to run. During this roundtable discussion, Dr. Zin Htway and Dr. Pat Dunn will talk about types of variables, and how proper identification of variables informs statistical testing. Plan to come prepared with questions about your own doctoral work as points of discussion. For Doctoral students conducting (or thinking about conducting) quantitative research.


Using Existing Data In Research

Sunny Liu, PhD & Matthew Jones, PhD

Session Description: Existing quantitative datasets contain data collected for previous research projects or administrative purposes. These data are frequently the result of complex sampling designs and are a potential treasure trove for scholarly research. Using this data affords researchers the opportunity to answer new research questions and construct untested hypotheses utilizing existing samples. This session will cover: strategies for locating existing data, types of existing data, aligning existing data with your research, and the associated strengths and limitations of using existing data.  This presentation is targeted toward anyone that has an interest in understanding the potential opportunities of using existing data.