Resource Library

The textbook for this course discusses cross-cultural variations in household structure, as well as changes across time in household structure in the United States. The purpose of this exercise is to examine variations in household structure in the United States according to race and historical period. By the end of the exercise students should have a better appreciation of the fact that household structure in the U.S. is very fluid and that changes over time in household structure have not progressed uniformly for all race groups.

As discussed, the murder rates for Blacks in the United States are substantially higher than those for Whites, with Latino murder rates falling in the middle. These differences have existed throughout the 20th and into the 21st century and, with few exceptions, are found in different sections of the United States. Although biological and genetic explanations for racial differences in crime rates, including murder, have been discredited and are no longer accepted by most criminologists, both cultural and structural theories are widespread in the literature on crime and violence. It is also important to remember that Latino is an ethnic rather than a racial classification. The point of this exercise is to examine differences in selected structural positions of Blacks, Whites and Latinos in the United States that may help explain long-standing differences in their murder rates.

This resource explains Multiple Regression and concepts associated with it. Key Words: Predicted values; Residuals; Dummy Variables; Interaction Effects; T-Test; Regression Coefficients; Correlation; Partial Correlation; R-Squared; Adjusted R-Squared; Multicollinearity; Variance-Inflation Factors; Transformation; Cook's Distance; Validity; Durbin-Watson Coefficient.

This lesson introduces simple linear regression with several Excel spreadsheet examples such as temperature versus cricket chirps, height versus shoe size, and laziness versus amount of TV watched. These activities require class participation.

This page explains simple linear regression with an example on muscle strength versus lean body mass.

This resource defines and explains per capita rates using an example on city murder rates.

This resource defines and explains percent changes using an example on city murder rates.

This resource defines and explains the median using an example on employee salaries.

This resource defines and explains the arithmetic mean using an example on employee salaries.

This site provides an introduction to basic statistical concepts for journalists and writers with little math background. Key Words: Mean; Median; Percent Changes; Per capita; Rates; Standard Deviation; Normal Distribution; Margin of Error; Confidence Interval; Data Analysis; Sample Sizes; Statistical Tests; Student's T.