GPH716 Biostatistics: Final Project Document This course is meant to provide you with an introduction to the procedures in the collection, summarization, analysis, and presentation of data. The final project for this course will be a final report. This report will be similar to a research article that you would submit to a journal except you will not be using original research. You will base your final project off a preexisting dataset that you will choose in Module 1. From this dataset you will develop research questions. In addition, you will create appropriate visual displays and run statistical tests for at least 3 types of 2way associations: 1. Categorical response and categorical explanatory variable 2. Continuous response and categorical explanatory variable 3. Continuous response and continuous explanatory variable Please note that categorical variables can be dichotomous, ordinal, or nominal. For association 2, make sure you use a categorical variable that is dichotomous. You will interpret the results of these tests keeping in mind the limitations based on how the data was collected. This project will apply the items you learn throughout the course in a practical way. As a Public Health professional you will be creating many reports. You will have to derive appropriate statistical inferences from data to make an informed decision or draw an informed conclusion. Your report should include the following items. 1. Introduction [about one page in length] a. Clearly state your primary research question as well as your two secondary research questions. Your questions should have a clear explanatory variable and a clear response variable. b. Build a case for why your research question is important. Explain why your question is relevant and what the implications might be if you find an association. c. Utilize at least two peer reviewed journal articles to support your claims. 2. Methods [about a half page in length] a. State where your data came from and how it was collected b. Discuss the statistical hypothesis test used for each research question. You should have three research questions, one for each potential association. There will be one research question that is your primary. You should go through the procedures you used to evaluate each research question. 3. Results: Basic Descriptive Statistics [about a page in length] a. Examine your most important variables (primary response variable and your primary explanatory variable) individually. What does the distribution look like? Is the distribution symmetric or bell shaped? If not, which way is it skewed? b. If you have a lot of variables you want to report on, use a table of summary statistics. Make sure everything is well labeled and has a title. 4. Results: Associations and Statistics [about two pages in length] a. Include the results of your three statistical hypothesis tests. Here you should report your results and not the details of the test. b. What are the most relevant associations you have examined so far? Clearly state what you have found and what the main features of your figures are. c. There should be three different types of graphs and/or tables included to depict your findings: i. A scatterplot (for continuouscontinuous association) ii. A mosaic plot or two way table (for categoricalcategorical association) iii. Sidebyside boxplots (for continuouscategorical association) 5. Discussion/Conclusion [about a page in length] a. Report on the associations found. \"I found that...\" b. Discuss how the associations fit together. c. Discuss a theme you see. If you do not see a theme that is ok, but you will need to discuss the limitations, why not theme was found, other variables coming into play, etc... d. In this section of the report answer the primary research question to the best of your ability based on your analysis so far. Also report on your secondary research questions. e. What would you do next now that the report is complete? 6. Bibliography a. Include a bibliography that cites all sources referenced throughout the paper using the most current version of AMA formatting. Guidelines for Submission: This report should be 56 pages in length not including the bibliography page. The submission should use the most current AMA format. The final project should be in the form of a report with a title (no abstract is needed). Use a standard font and size of at least 11 points, and minimum 1 inch margins. Throughout the course you will work on parts of your final project. Make sure to incorporate the feedback you receive from your instructor before the final submission. Rubric Criteria Exemplary Satisfactory Needs Improvement Not Evident Introduction (10% of Grade) Meets the \"Satisfactory\" criteria and utilizes peer reviewed journal articles to support claims States primary research question and two secondary research questions explains why primary research question is relevant States primary research question and two secondary research questions, but there are gaps in the explanation of the primary research question's relevance Does not clearly state the primary research question and two secondary research questions, and does not explain why primary research question is relevant Methods (15% of Grade) Meets the \"Satisfactory\" criteria and addresses potential confounding variables States where the data came from, examines the collection process, and the hypothesis test used for each research question States where the data came from, but there are gaps in the examination of the collection process OR does not state the hypothesis test used for each research question Does not clearly state the data came from or how it was collected Results: Basic Descriptive Statistics (15% of Grade) Meets the \"Satisfactory\" criteria and results are organized and professional Examines the important variables and discusses the distribution There are gaps in the examination of the important variables OR does not discuss the distribution Does not examine the important variables and does not discuss the distribution Results: Associations and Statistics (15% of Grade) Meets the \"Satisfactory\" criteria and results and associations are reported clearly Reports results of three statistical tests and states the most relevant associations There are gaps in the reports on the results of each statistical test OR does not state the Does not report results of all three statistical tests and does not state the most relevant and professionally found most relevant associations found associations found Results: Graphs (15% of Grade) Meets the \"Satisfactory\" criteria and the graphs are easy to read and title/axis are labeled Utilizes three different graphs and/or tables to clearly depict the different associations and graphs are appropriate for each depicted association Utilizes three graphs and/or table to depict the different associations, but not all graphs are appropriate for the depicted association Does not use graphs to depict each association Discussion/ Conclusion (20% of Grade) Meets the \"Satisfactory\" criteria and discusses next steps now that the report is complete Discusses how the associations fit together and answers the primary research question Discussion of how the associations fit together contains errors OR does not adequately answer the primary research question Does not discuss how the associations fit together and does not answer the primary research question Bibliography (5% of Grade) Meets the \"Satisfactory\" criteria and all sources are reputable and current Correctly cites all sources used in the workshop and all sources are relevant to the key concerns addressed in the workshop All sources are relevant to the key concerns addressed in the workshop, but there are citation errors There are citation errors and sources are not relevant to the key concerns addressed in the workshop Writing Mechanics (5% of Grade) Meets the \"satisfactory\" level and all sections are clear, concise, and do not exceed the page maximum Report is organized in the required format and contains no grammatical errors There are grammatical and formatting errors, but they do not affect the readability of the report Errors in formatting or grammar affect the readability of the report