Analytics, Policy, and Governance by
The first available textbook on the rapidly growing and increasingly important field of government analytics This first textbook on the increasingly important field of government analytics provides invaluable knowledge and training for students of government in the synthesis, interpretation, and communication of "big data," which is now an integral part of governance and policy making. Integrating all the major components of this rapidly growing field, this invaluable text explores the intricate relationship of data analytics to governance while providing innovative strategies for the retrieval and management of information.
The Concepts of Politics by
Politics is hugely complex. Some try to reduce its complexity by examining it through an ideological worldview, a one-size-fits-all prescriptive formula or a quantitative examination of as many 'facts' as possible. Yet politics cannot be adequately handled as if it were made of cells and particles: ideological views are oversimplifying and sometimes dangerous. Politics is not simply a moral matter, nor political philosophy a subdivision of moral philosophy. This book is devised as a basic conceptual lexicon for all those who want to understand what politics is, how it works and how it changes or fails to change. Key concepts such as power, conflict, legitimacy and order are clearly defined and their interplay in the state, interstate and global level explored. Principles such as liberty, equality, justice and solidarity are discussed in the context of the political choices confronting us.#65533; This compact and systematic introduction to the categories needed to grasp the fundamentals of politics will appeal to readers who want to gain a firmer grasp on the workings of politics, as well as to scholars and students of philosophy,#65533;political science and history.
Doing Dissertations in Politics by 
Empirical Political Analysis by
This introduction to research methods in political science covers the entire research process - from conceptualization of the research question, through the difficulties of data collection, to interpretation of the findings.
A Mathematics Course for Political and Social Research by
Political science and sociology increasingly rely on mathematical modeling and sophisticated data analysis, and many graduate programs in these fields now require students to take a "math camp" or a semester-long or yearlong course to acquire the necessary skills. Available textbooks are written for mathematics or economics majors, and fail to convey to students of political science and sociology the reasons for learning often-abstract mathematical concepts. A Mathematics Course for Political and Social Research fills this gap, providing both a primer for math novices in the social sciences and a handy reference for seasoned researchers. The book begins with the fundamental building blocks of mathematics and basic algebra, then goes on to cover essential subjects such as calculus in one and more than one variable, including optimization, constrained optimization, and implicit functions; linear algebra, including Markov chains and eigenvectors; and probability. It describes the intermediate steps most other textbooks leave out, features numerous exercises throughout, and grounds all concepts by illustrating their use and importance in political science and sociology. Uniquely designed and ideal for students and researchers in political science and sociology Uses practical examples from political science and sociology Features "Why Do I Care?" sections that explain why concepts are useful Includes numerous exercises Complete online solutions manual (available only to professors, email david.siegel at duke.edu, subject line "Solution Set") Selected solutions available online to students
Optimizing the Display and Interpretation of Data by
"What information do these data reveal?" "Is the information correct?" "How can I make the best use of the information?" The widespread use of computers and our reliance on the data generated by them have made these questions increasingly common and important. Computerized data may be in either digital or analog form and may be relevant to a wide range of applications that include medical monitoring and diagnosis, scientific research, engineering, quality control, seismology, meteorology, political and economic analysis and business and personal financial applications. The sources of the data may be databases that have been developed for specific purposes or may be of more general interest and include those that are accessible on the Internet. In addition, the data may represent either single or multiple parameters. Examining data in its initial form is often very laborious and also makes it possible to "miss the forest for the trees" by failing to notice patterns in the data that are not readily apparent. To address these problems, this monograph describes several accurate and efficient methods for displaying, reviewing and analyzing digital and analog data. The methods may be used either singly or in various combinations to maximize the value of the data to those for whom it is relevant. None of the methods requires special devices and each can be used on common platforms such as personal computers, tablets and smart phones. Also, each of the methods can be easily employed utilizing widely available off-the-shelf software. Using the methods does not require special expertise in computer science or technology, graphical design or statistical analysis. The usefulness and accuracy of all the described methods of data display, review and interpretation have been confirmed in multiple carefully performed studies using independent, objective endpoints. These studies and their results are described in the monograph. Because of their ease of use, accuracy and efficiency, the methods for displaying, reviewing and analyzing data described in this monograph can be highly useful to all who must work with computerized information and make decisions based upon it. The reader will learn methods for easily increasing the speed and accuracy of reviewing data that are relevant to many diverse fields of endeavor This will reduce the drudgery associated with reviewing the data and simultaneously improve the reliability of the interpretations that result from the review This increased efficiency of review will make it easier to provide "full disclosure" of the data to all those responsible for making decisions based on any actionable information that might be contained in the data
Political Science Research Methods in Action by
Through accounts from innovative research projects by world-leading political scientists, this volume offers a unique perspective on research methodology. It discusses the practical and intellectual dilemmas researchers face throughout the research process in a wide range of fields from implicit attitude testing to media analysis and interviews.
Politics and the Concept of the Political by
A recent trend in contemporary western political theory is to criticize it for implicitly trying to "conquer," "displace" or "moralize" politics. James Wiley's book takes the "next step," from criticizing contemporary political theory, to showing what a more "politics-centered" political theory would look like by exploring the meaning and value of politics in the writings of Max Weber, Carl Schmitt, Paul Ricoeur, Hannah Arendt, Sheldon Wolin, Claude Lefort, and Ernesto Laclau and Chantal Mouffe. These political theorists all use the concept of "the political" to explain the value of politics and defend it from its detractors. They represent state-centered, republic-centered and society-centered conceptions of politics, as well as realist, authoritarian, idealist, republican, populist and radical democratic traditions of political thought. This book compares these theorists and traditions of "the political" in order to defend politics from its critics and to contribute to the development of a politics-centered political theory. Politics and the Concept of the Political will be a useful resource to general audiences as well as to specialists in political theory.
Public Opinion by
The fifth edition of Public Opinion: Measuring the American Mind provides a comprehensive, accessible introduction to public opinion in the United States and describes how public opinion data are collected, how they are used, and the role they play in the U.S. political system. Bardes and Oldendick introduce students to the history of polling and explain the factors a good consumer of polls should know in order to critically evaluate public opinion data. Public Opinion: Measuring the American Mind is the only text to devote significant space to the history of polling, the use of polling in America today, and to explain the methods used for survey research. In addition, the authors engage students by providing in-depth coverage of public opinion on such issues as political ideology, health care, race, and foreign policy, as well as an update and discussion of the major changes that have taken place on controversial issues such as gay marriage, gun control, and immigration. Updated to include the latest data from the American National Election Study and the General Social Surveys in 2012 and 2014, this lively, engaging text combines a comprehensive grounding in the nuts and bolts of the field with relevant, real-world examples.
To the Cloud by
Cloud computing and big data are arguably the most significant forces in information technology today. In the wake of revelations about National Security Agency (NSA) activities, many of which occur "in the cloud", this book offers both enlightenment and a critical view.Vincent Mosco explores where the cloud originated, what it means, and how important it is for business, government and citizens. He describes the intense competition among cloud companies like Amazon and Google, the spread of the cloud to government agencies like the controversial NSA, and the astounding growth of entire cloud cities in China.Is the cloud the long-promised information utility that will solve many of the world's economic and social problems? Or is it just marketing hype? To the Cloud provides the first thorough analysis of the potential and the problems of a technology that may very well disrupt the world.
Check the WSU Libraries Online Catalog for more data analysis resources
You may also want to browse resources in SmartSearch relating to data analysis in Political Science.
SPSS Explained by
SPSS Explained provides the student with all that they need to undertake statistical analysis using SPSS. It combines a step-by-step approach to each procedure with easy to follow screenshots at each stage of the process. A number of other helpful features are provided: regular advice boxes with tips specific to each test explanations divided into #65533;essential#65533; and #65533;advanced#65533; sections to suit readers at different levels frequently asked questions at the end of each chapter. The first edition of this popular book has been fully updated for IBM SPSS version 21 and also includes: chapters that explain bootstrapping and how this is used an introduction to binary logistic regression coverage of new features such as Chart Builder. Presented in full colour and with a fresh, reader-friendly layout, this fully updated new edition also comes with a companion website featuring an array of supplementary resources for students. The authors have many years of experience in teaching SPSS to students from a wide range of disciplines. Their understanding of SPSS users#65533; concerns, as well as a knowledge of the type of questions students ask, form the foundation of this book. Minimal prior knowledge is assumed, so the book is well designed for the novice user, but it will also be a useful reference source for those developing their own expertise in SPSS. It is suitable for all students who need to do statistical analysis using SPSS in various departments including Psychology, Social Science, Business Studies, Nursing, Education, Health and Sport Science, Communication and Media, Geography, and Biology.
Using Statistics in the Social and Health Sciences with Spss® and Excel® by
Provides a step-by-step approach to statistical procedures to analyze data and conduct research, with detailed sections in each chapter explaining SPSS#65533; and Excel#65533; applications This book identifies connections between statistical applications and research design using cases, examples, and discussion of specific topics from the social and health sciences. Researched and class-tested to ensure an accessible presentation, the book combines clear, step-by-step explanations for both the novice and professional alike to understand the fundamental statistical practices for organizing, analyzing, and drawing conclusions from research data in their field. The book begins with an introduction to descriptive and inferential statistics and then acquaints readers with important features of statistical applications (SPSS and Excel) that support statistical analysis and decision making. Subsequent chapters treat the procedures commonly employed when working with data across various fields of social science research. Individual chapters are devoted to specific statistical procedures, each ending with lab application exercises that pose research questions, examine the questions through their application in SPSS and Excel, and conclude with a brief research report that outlines key findings drawn from the results. Real-world examples and data from social and health sciences research are used throughout the book, allowing readers to reinforce their comprehension of the material. Using Statistics in the Social and Health Sciences with SPSS#65533; and Excel#65533; includes: * Use of straightforward procedures and examples that help students focus on understanding of analysis and interpretation of findings * Inclusion of a data lab section in each chapter that provides relevant, clear examples * Introduction to advanced statistical procedures in chapter sections (e.g., regression diagnostics) and separate chapters (e.g., multiple linear regression) for greater relevance to real-world research needs Emphasizing applied statistical analyses, this book can serve as the primary text in undergraduate and graduate university courses within departments of sociology, psychology, urban studies, health sciences, and public health, as well as other related departments. It will also be useful to statistics practitioners through extended sections using SPSS#65533; and Excel#65533; for analyzing data. Martin Lee Abbott, PhD, is Professor of Sociology at Seattle Pacific University, where he has served as Executive Director of the Washington School Research Center, an independent research and data analysis center funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. Dr. Abbott has held positions in both academia and industry, focusing his consulting and teaching in the areas of statistical procedures, program evaluation, applied sociology, and research methods. He is the author of Understanding Educational Statistics Using Microsoft Excel#65533; and SPSS#65533;, The Program Evaluation Prism: Using Statistical Methods to Discover Patterns, and Understanding and Applying Research Design, also from Wiley.
SPSS Statistics for Data Analysis and Visualization by
Dive deeper into SPSS Statistics for more efficient, accurate, and sophisticated data analysis and visualization SPSS Statistics for Data Analysis and Visualization goes beyond the basics of SPSS Statistics to show you advanced techniques that exploit the full capabilities of SPSS. The authors explain when and why to use each technique, and then walk you through the execution with a pragmatic, nuts and bolts example. Coverage includes extensive, in-depth discussion of advanced statistical techniques, data visualization, predictive analytics, and SPSS programming, including automation and integration with other languages like R and Python. You'll learn the best methods to power through an analysis, with more efficient, elegant, and accurate code. IBM SPSS Statistics is complex: true mastery requires a deep understanding of statistical theory, the user interface, and programming. Most users don't encounter all of the methods SPSS offers, leaving many little-known modules undiscovered. This book walks you through tools you may have never noticed, and shows you how they can be used to streamline your workflow and enable you to produce more accurate results. Conduct a more efficient and accurate analysis Display complex relationships and create better visualizations Model complex interactions and master predictive analytics Integrate R and Python with SPSS Statistics for more efficient, more powerful code These "hidden tools" can help you produce charts that simply wouldn't be possible any other way, and the support for other programming languages gives you better options for solving complex problems. If you're ready to take advantage of everything this powerful software package has to offer, SPSS Statistics for Data Analysis and Visualization is the expert-led training you need.
The Reference Guide to Data Sources by
This concise sourcebook takes the guesswork out of locating the best sources of data, a process more important than ever as the data landscape grows incresingly cluttered. Much of the most frequently used data can be found free online, and this book shows readers how to look for it with the assistance of user-friendly tools. This thoroughly annotated guide will be a boon to library staff at public libraries, high school libraries, academic libraries, and other research institutions. It offers concentrated coverage of data sources for frequently researched subjects such as agriculture, the earth sciences, econiomics, energy, political science, and transportation; the basics of data reference along with an overview of the most useful sources; Statistical datasets, and how to understand and make use of them; and much more
The Art of Data Analysis by
A friendly and accessible approach to applying statistics in the real world With an emphasis on critical thinking, The Art of Data Analysis: How to Answer Almost Any Question Using Basic Statistics presents fun and unique examples, guides readers through the entire data collection and analysis process, and introduces basic statistical concepts along the way. Leaving proofs and complicated mathematics behind, the author portrays the more engaging side of statistics and emphasizes its role as a problem-solving tool. In addition, light-hearted case studies illustrate the application of statistics to real data analyses, highlighting the strengths and weaknesses of commonly used techniques. Written for the growing academic and industrial population that uses statistics in everyday life, The Art of Data Analysis: How to Answer Almost Any Question Using Basic Statistics highlights important issues that often arise when collecting and sifting through data. Featured concepts include: - Descriptive statistics - Analysis of variance - Probability and sample distributions - Confidence intervals - Hypothesis tests - Regression - Statistical correlation - Data collection - Statistical analysis with graphs Fun and inviting from beginning to end, The Art of Data Analysis is an ideal book for students as well as managers and researchers in industry, medicine, or government who face statistical questions and are in need of an intuitive understanding of basic statistical reasoning.
Information Quality by
Provides an important framework for data analysts in assessing the quality of data and its potential to provide meaningful insights through analysis Analytics and statistical analysis have become pervasive topics, mainly due to the growing availability of data and analytic tools. Technology, however, fails to deliver insights with added value if the quality of the information it generates is not assured. Information Quality (InfoQ) is a tool developed by the authors to assess the potential of a dataset to achieve a goal of interest, using data analysis. Whether the information quality of a dataset is sufficient is of practical importance at many stages of the data analytics journey, from the pre-data collection stage to the post-data collection and post-analysis stages. It is also critical to various stakeholders: data collection agencies, analysts, data scientists, and management. This book: Explains how to integrate the notions of goal, data, analysis and utility that are the main building blocks of data analysis within any domain. Presents a framework for integrating domain knowledge with data analysis. Provides a combination of both methodological and practical aspects of data analysis. Discusses issues surrounding the implementation and integration of InfoQ in both academic programmes and business / industrial projects. Showcases numerous case studies in a variety of application areas such as education, healthcare, official statistics, risk management and marketing surveys. Presents a review of software tools from the InfoQ perspective along with example datasets on an accompanying website. This book will be beneficial for researchers in academia and in industry, analysts, consultants, and agencies that collect and analyse data as well as undergraduate and postgraduate courses involving data analysis.
