Full Citation

Title: When Quantitative Analysis Lies Behind a Reference Question

Citation Type: Journal Article

Publication Year: 1999

ISBN:

ISSN:

DOI: 10.2307/20863727

NSFID:

PMCID:

PMID:

Abstract: Statistics reference questions represent more than just a specialized retrieval challenge. When the fundamental point behind asking for data is to practice quantitative analysis techniques, reference librarians who are relative strangers to quantitative analysis and its vocabulary work at a disadvantage. To aid these reference librarians, here we present key quantitative analysis vocabulary. We will walk the reader through an elementary, fictitious example, and then a more complex, "real" example, of correlation and linear regression analysis. Integral use is made of statistical software (SPSS, version 8) and a dataset (Integrated Public Use Microdata Series) downloaded from the Internet, in order to instill in reference librarians a better sense of comfort and literacy with common quantitative analysis techniques using state-of-the-art methods.

Url: https://www.jstor.org/stable/20863727

User Submitted?: No

Authors: Gerhan, David R.

Periodical (Full): Reference & User Services Quarterly

Issue: 2

Volume: 39

Pages: 166-176

Data Collections: IPUMS USA

Topics: Methodology and Data Collection, Other

Countries: