TO: Students in CJ 160 - 001 FA 05
FROM: R. B. Taylor
DATE: 10/3/05
RE: upcoming test 2, how to use handouts, letter to grandpa, indicators you suggested

Some comments appear below about material on the upcoming test, how to use handouts, and a copy of the letter to Grandpa

UPCOMING TEST

Test 2 will be on Friday of this week (10/8). Same format as last time.

Here are the pages from RMCJ for which you are responsible and some comments about coverage on the test:

RMCJ 77-94 - graphs and tables - will be lots on this - you want to understand histograms, scatterplots, line charts and, after today, simple crosstab tables

111-118 - indexes and scaling - some  on this - we have not covered indexes in class yes

183-206 - this is about sampling - we will be talking some about this in class today and on Wednesday - focus on simple random samples and how multistage cluster samples work - be sure you understand the differences between probability and non-probability samples.

235-263 - this is about surveys - know the major things about the different modes of surveys and what makes for bad questions and what makes for good questions

RMCJ 131-178  - not too much on reliability, lots on construct validity, some on criterion validity

ALSO IN JACOBS: you are responsible for: Ch. 2, 3, 4

HOW TO USE HANDOUTS

From the memos you can get a handout that is titled

NOTES starting 9/26
TOPICS: Line / trend graphs, rates

This goes with the earlier handout, also available from memos, showing you ten figures. GO TO MEMOS PAGE TO RETRIEVE IF YOU DO NOT HAVE IT. We did NOT get to all these questions. Concentrate on being able to answer just the following ones from this handout:

7-11, 16, 20, 22-33

LETTER TO GRANDPA WHICH IS BASED ON FIGURE 9

160-001 Fall 2005 9/28/05

Dear Grandpa: 

You wrote and asked how classes are going here at Temple. I have been really busy studying hard ( ;-) )so it has taken me a while to write back to you ( 7:-[  ). But you might be interested in something we learned today in a CJ class. We have been talking a lot about drunk driving, and we looked at some information about how many drivers with alcohol there are every year who are involved in fatal crashes where someone dies.

When we compared Pennsylvania and the US here is what we found out about the differences. “Pennsylvania fatal crashes are lower compared to the U.S.. So it’s safer to live in Pennsylvania”[1] “Maybe it’s because of more strict laws and better prevention programs.”[2] So since I am in school here in a place that is safer than the national average you can stop worrying about me and text messaging me four times a day and telling me to be careful when driving around Philadelphia. I am a very safe driver! ( 7;-} )

Here is what we found out about the recent changes in the US: [It has been] steadily “declining since 1996.”[3] “The recent change in the US is that it is on a steady decline due to how more states are changing their laws to .08 BAC.”[4]  “[This could be due to] stricter DD laws and enforcement as well as advocacy groups such as MADD and SADD. Additionally, seat belt laws as well as better safety features in cars [could be helping]”[5]

The instructor is suggesting this variable reflects the extent of serious drunk driving in a location. My classmates and I think: “This is only measuring fatal accidents. It does not measure … the rate of how many people drive drunk and put others at risk…”[6] “[Another problem is that] the population of measurement was far too big to make specific accurate inferences of danger (fatality rate and probability) for any one location … does this really give a clear picture, we think NO.”[7] “It seems to be pretty vague.”[8] “[But on the other hand] the more drunk drivers that are on the road could increase the probability of fatal accidents.”[9] “Drunk driving can lead to fatal car accidents.”[10]

But enough about me. Please be sure and send me pictures from the Master’s Hang Gliding Competition for the 80+ division you are going to be in next week in Colorado – mom told me all about it. And you worry about me! And save a little bit of the applejack you already have set aside fermenting out in the barn. I find it is great medicine for any winter colds that might come along.  Ooh, and thanks for the picture of you and Jeff Gordon alongside his car in the pits at Dover. I can’t believe he let you drive it a couple of laps around the Monster Mile. That must have been awesome! And the NASCAR teddy bear is great and gives me something to hug if a hurricane comes along. Lotsa love, gotta dash to class,