STA442 Assignment 2

This assignment is really just an opportunity to get your feet wet with unix and SAS. It is based on Chapter 2 of the class notes, and associated lecture material.

In a study of sex discrimination and employment (actually, it was a lawsuit), researchers recorded the starting salaries of all 32 male and all 61 female entry-level clerical employees hired by a bank from 1969 to 1977. Here are the data. Using SAS, find out if there is a significant difference in the starting salaries of male and female employees, at the 0.05 level. In addition to a simple "Yes" or "No," you must be able to express the results of your analysis in simple, non-technical language. What did you find?

Do this assignment preparation for Test 1. Please bring your complete, unedited log file and list file to the test. You may or may not be asked to hand them in. Please be very careful to ensure that the log and list file are from the same SAS run. It makes a big difference, and I can usually tell. You could lose substantial marks for ignoring this directive, so stay organized. Also, sometimes students are loose about the difference between the log file and a simple printout of the program (command) file. To be safe, do not bring a copy of the program file to the test.

Do not write anything on your printouts prior to Test 1 except maybe your name and student number.

In addition to a statement of what you conclude from the data, think about the following:

1. What is the independent variable? What is the dependent variable?
2. Is this an observational study, or experimental?
3. Does this study establish that male and female employees received different starting salaries because of their sex? Explain. Your answer should list at least two possible confounding variables.
4. What additional independent variables would you like to see in this data set?
5. Of course you should be able to say the mean and standard deviation of the starting salary for males, and for females, what's the value of the test statistic, what's the p-value, are the results statistically significant, and so on.

Plagiarism

It is academic dishonesty to present someone else's work as your own, or to allow your work to be copied for this purpose. To repeat: the person who allows her/his work to be copied is equally guilty, and subject to disciplinary action by the university.

Note that if I catch you, I am not allowed to impose some reasonable penalty (like a zero on the assignment). I am required to pass it on to the Authorites. In the past I have done this, even though I liked the students involved. The penalties were harsh.

Here are some guidelines. It is fine to discuss the assignments and to learn from each other, but don't copy. Never look at anyone else's work or show anyone your work before the time when it might be handed in -- in this case, the day of the test. Do not give anyone a copy of your program file before a computer assignment is due, and do not look at anyone else's.

Never, ever, bring a copy of somebody else's printout to a test or the final exam, and never allow anyone to have a copy of yours.

Don't copy. If we catch you, you will get in big trouble. And even if we do not catch you, after you die you will be reincarnated as a tadpole in a polluted stream.

A final note: You must use your own computer account, and only your own computer account to do the work for this course. If you use the account of another student -- or allow your account to be used by another student in this class -- your computer account will be cancelled, and so will your friend's. This will make it very difficult for you to pass this course (and possibly others). The reason for this seemingly insane rule is to prevent the following well-worn defense for having identical printouts: "I was using my friend's account and I accidentally printed the wrong file." This excuse is never believed, even though it may seem creative to the students who make it up year after year.