Problem Solving – Data Analysis (Quantitative Communication)

In this assignment, you will:

Identify the purpose of the article and what problem it is addressing/trying to solve.
Explain what categories of descriptive statistics are used in the study and how they are used to communicate the information found in the study and/or any conclusions/solutions posed.
Make connections between the information presented/the problem and its larger impact to the world/your major/current job/future career goal.
Create an accurate visual for the data that helps communicate a story/solution to the audience.
Communicate recommended solutions using appropriate language and visuals for the purpose and audience.

What to Submit / Deliverables: The assignment includes an application to a professional conference in two parts:

1. A Conference Application Template [DOCX] with questions to complete.

2. A PowerPoint presentation.

What is the value of doing this assignment? This assignment gives you the opportunity to apply the statistical concepts and methods you have learned throughout the course to a current real world problem. You will continue to practice your problem solving skill through analysis of data—examining how others use descriptive statistics, and creating your own mathematical visuals in order to analyze and draw conclusions based on this data.

You will also practice taking initiative in putting together a conference application on the problem identified and sharing your findings with a specific audience. This will additionally help you practice communicating effectively—a skill you can use in your personal and professional lives every day.

As you work to complete this assignment, you will continue to practice results-driven strategies. You will have the opportunity to engage in a statistical process while working towards a specific goal, use measurement to report results, and consider the quality and integrity of data and the ways it can be used to effectively communicate solutions.

Your goal for this assignment is to: Apply the statistical concepts and methods you have learned to a current real-world problem by using your problem solving, initiative, and results driven skills to complete an application and presentation for a professional conference that incorporates the data analysis, conclusions, and recommendations you have reached.

What you need to complete this assignment:

Newspaper article that uses statistical data.
Conference Application Template [DOCX]
PowerPoint or other presentation tool (check with your instructor if you have questions).

Scenario:You are submitting an application to a professional conference on data-driven decision making. The application has two parts:

Providing information to the conference organizers.
Creating a presentation for the conference audience.

Steps to complete: In Week 9, complete and submit your assignment in BlackBoard using the following steps:

STEP 1: Visit one of the following newspapers’ websites: USA Today, New York Times, Wall Street Journal, or Washington Post. Select an article that uses statistical data related to a current event, your major, your current field, or your future career goal. The chosen article must have been published after the start of this term.

Examples may include:

Elections/exit polls
Award shows (Oscars/Emmys/Grammys)
Sports
Economy/job market
Gender equality
Human rights issues

The article should use one or more of the following categories of descriptive statistics:

Measures of Frequency – Counting Rules, Percent, Frequency, Frequency Distributions
Measures of Central Tendency – Mean, Median, Mode
Measures of Dispersion or Variation – Range, Variance, Standard Deviation
Measures of Position – Percentile, Quartiles