Capstone Project Outline

SOC 499

Your data analysis and results will be submitted following the format and containing the
following elements of a research report:

1. Title Page
 Author’s name
 Date
 Title of the report

2. Abstract (no more than 150 words)

3. Introduction
 Context and purpose of the project
 Research question

4. Literature Review
 Explanation of how research project is situated within existing literature
(10 sources total):
 What are the articles about?
 What are the main ideas and findings of the articles? How do they
differ and what do they have in common?
 How do the articles help us shed light on the social problem you
picked?
 What methods do the articles use and are there any methodological
limitations?
 In what respect do the articles shed light on a problem or question?

5. Methods
 Data Used (describe the data structure of the General Social Survey):
 What is the name of the data set?
 How was the sample drawn?
 What population is the sample drawn from and how generalizable
are findings based on a sample of the General Social Survey 2012?
 What types of information does the General Social Survey 2012
provide?
 Research question, research hypotheses, and variables used to test
hypotheses:
 Formulate at least 3 directional research hypotheses using the
variables you selected in week 3. Provide a rationale for each

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 hypothesis grounded in what you have learned in past and current
sociology courses you have taken. Formulate a research question
that addresses your research hypotheses. Make sure your research
question is a real question (one that you don't know the answer to
already).
 Variable names and survey questions associated with variables
 Response options and levels of measurement
 Short explanation of what the variable measures
 A statement regarding the validity and reliability of your variables (hint: review
lectures in week 3).
 A strategy for analysis explaining which specific methods (bivariate analysis,
descriptive statistics, correlational analysis) are appropriate for an analysis of
your variables.

6. Analysis
 Explain which particular statistics were used to test the hypotheses?
 Provide the following descriptive statistics:
 Compute appropriate measures of central tendency and measures
of variability for each of your variables.
 Explain, in your own words, what each measure means
 Visualize all of your variables using appropriate graphs/charts.
 Display and interpret frequency tables of all nominal variables.
 Provide an explanation of how the descriptive statistics address
your research question or corresponding hypothesis.
 Provide the following bivariate statistics:
 Provide a brief explanation of the variables that are used for cross-
tab analysis
 Create and interpret at least three contingency tables (cross-tabs)
regarding:
o Existence
o Strength
o Direction
o Pattern
 Provide an explanation of how the result of your cross-tab analysis
address your research question or corresponding hypothesis.
 Compute the correlation coefficient between two continuous
variables.
o Provide a brief explanation of the variables that are
computed for correlational analysis
o Provide a correlation matrix
o Interpret the pearson's R of your correlation(s) and provide
an explanation of how this result address your research
question or corresponding hypothesis.

7. Conclusion
 Were you able to adequately test your hypotheses? Explain.
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  Were you able to answer your research question? Explain.
 What are limitations of your research?
 What additional types of research or analysis would help to illuminate your
topic?

8. References
 Provide a complete list of sources that were consulted during the course
of the research and the writing of the manuscript using ASA style.