MAT 109 DATA PROJECT
OBJECTIVE:
The purpose of this project is to describe a data set of your choice using the descriptive tools learned in this
course. You will also estimate the population mean, test a claim about the population mean, and create an
infographic. Excel will be used for the data analysis portion of the project.
FORMAT:
The 5 data analysis sections of the project are to be submitted in a single EXCEL spreadsheet (workbook, saved
as Excel file) with 5 separate tabs, one for each section and labeled appropriately. The infographic will be a
single 8.5 x 11 page, either a WORD document or PowerPoint slide (or a sheet in Excel if you are comfortable
formatting in this way).
DATA SELECTION:
Select a data set to use for your project. It could be a data set from work, personal data (bills, budget, glucose
readings, etc), or magazine/internet/newspaper data. The following website https://www.bls.gov/Data/ is a
great source for data. This is the federal government’s source, Bureau of Labor Statistics. This will be an
observational study, as you will be using data that is already available. Data must be numeric. You want to
include at least 100 data values. In your description, include how many rows? How many columns?
Operationally define your variables; what are the labels for the rows and columns?
TWO GRAPHS:
Create 2 graphs for your data set. One must be a histogram. The other can be a time series, boxplot, scatterplot
etc. From the histogram, describe the shape of the distribution of data, center, and variation. Does this data set
appear to have outliers? Are there any trends present? Explain with several complete sentences (short essay).
DESCRIPTIVE STATISTICS:
Run descriptive statistics for your data set. Do your numerical results support the description you provided in
section 2 for your graphs? Explain using several complete sentences. Confirm any outliers by calculating, (mean
+ 3s) and (mean – 3s). Do any of your data values fall outside of that interval? Show the computation and discuss
this in your short essay.
ESTIMATION:
Find a 95% confidence interval estimate for the population mean. State this and interpret your results (several
complete sentences).
HYPOTHESIS TEST:
Select a claim about the population mean to statistically test for your data set. Use a 0.05 significance level.
Make sure to include the null hypothesis (H0), alternative hypothesis (Ha), test statistic, critical value and p-value,
decision (reject H0/do not reject H0), and interpretation.
INFOGRAPHIC or DASHBOARD DESIGN:
What is an infographic? In our modern technology-driven world, software programs and websites (even apps)
have dashboards showing us our usage statistics or important information about our business operations. Our
Peirce librarians recently shared this analysis of the 2018-19 usage of the library. Examples of dashboards can
quickly be pulled up by a simple Google search. Likewise, several companies sell software for designing
infographics and a search yields these. Infographics are similar condensed marketing and communication tools,
which often contain statistics. Wikipedia defines an infographic as a graphic visual representation of
information, data, or knowledge intended to present information quickly and clearly. This encyclopedia provides
a decent listing of history and a few examples. They can improve cognition by utilizing graphics to enhance the
human visual system’s ability to see patterns and trends.
Fall 2021
For this project, you are to create an 8.5 x 11 infographic for your data set. Make sure to include some of the
information from your data analysis. Click here for some examples: https://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/best-
infographics-2016#.W6bHSDhMhyM.mailto
Access templates in Microsoft Office online at https://templates.office.com/en-us/Statistics-Infographics-
Sampler-TM16401876. These may serve better as ideas, then you can build your own by inserting content in
similar arrangements. For more idea, search the Office templates (https://templates.office.com/en-
us/Search/results?query=infographic).
GRADING: There are two 15-point discussions and a 50-point project submission.
Project Discussion 1: You will have two discussions. The first is a two-fold discussion. You will share your ideas on
a data set to use for your project: classmates and teacher will aid in narrowing down your idea and you must
confirm that you have your data. Secondly, you will view an infographic and comment critically (thoughtfully) on
- This activity is produced by the American Statistical Association (ASA) and the New York Times. The week of
May 7th 2020 graphic and comments are available here (one of several that involved the novel coronavirus). The
week of September 9th 2019 was weather map related. The March 20th, 2019 graphic on automation and job
skills may be interesting even if you are currently not looking to change careers.
Post your comments in our discussion in our course; you may opt to also post in the live online discussion at the
NYT site (check in weeks 4-6 of our course–Wednesdays of those weeks). Please be sure to state the date and
include a direct link for your classmates (you will only post these comments in our course discussion for any
archived items). Go to the main page (https://www.nytimes.com/column/whats-going-on-in-this-graph) and
scroll to see a few recent links; scroll a little more to see a list and a search feature (listed by topic is available as
well, scroll).
Project Discussion 2: Share your project with the class. You will post your project in the discussion as an
attachment. In like manner to the first discussion, select two of your classmates’ projects and comment critically
on them.
NOTE: Submit your assignment for grading in the assignment area; you will also share it in the discussion for
discussion. For grading, you will submit your Excel file showing all the analysis requested and the infographic file.
In the discussion, share the infographic file for discussion.
How do I organize my data into an Infographic or dashboard?
Here is a series of videos, start with episode 7 and view at least parts 1-3 of this “how to” series. This site
includes the videos, transcripts and access to the slides. Here is the first video (episode 7 of their videos, but part