Research Report

Running head: SPSS Research Report

SPSS Research Report Using NELS: 88 Jacoby Antonio Browder SOWK 300-01 Ms. McArthur February 24, 2012

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Abstract In the national longitudinal study it is a survey of eighth grade students attending high school. The study shows that the amount of television a student watches during weekdays causes a change in the exam scores of the mathematics proficiency exam. The gender of the eighth grade students plays a role in this study. Showing how gender can vary dealing with how each students study habits are better or worse. The reason being is because females tend to have better study habits than males, but the study may show otherwise. The qualification of the free lunch program also plays an important role in the national longitudinal study. Students with free lunch may have lower scores than other kids.

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Hypothesis In the Bivariate relationship the number of hours the student watches television on weekdays causes a change in the overall mathematics proficiency test scores for eighth grade students. The number of hours a student watches television on weekdays is the independent variable. The dependent variable of this study is the overall mathematics proficiency test scores for eighth grade students. The control variables of this study are the gender of the students and are the percentage of students who qualify for the federal free lunch program. The values for the overall math proficiency variable are below level 1 which states students cannot perform simple arithmetical operations on whole numbers, At Level 1 but below Levels 2 and 3 which states students can perform at level 1 but below level 2, At level 1 and 2 but below level 3 which states students can perform simple operations with decimals, fractions, and roots but cannot perform at level 3, and Proficient at all 3 levels which states students can perform at lower levels and can do simple problem solving requiring conceptual understanding or the development of a solution strategy. The percentages for the variable of G8LUNCH are 1-5 percent, 6-10 percent, 11-20 percent, 21-30 percent, 31-50 percent, 51-75 percent, and 76-100 percent. The values for the variable BYS42A are dont watch television, less than one hour a day, 1-2 hours, 2-3 hours, 3-4 hours, 4-5 hours, and over five hours. The number of hours a student watches television has an effect on test scores. The difference of males and females varies. Males watch television more than females do. Based on the qualification of the free lunch program students that obtain this tend to have lower scores than students who do not obtain this.

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Rationale For my Bivariate hypothesis I stated that the number of hours the student watches television on weekdays causes change in the overall mathematics proficiency test scores for eighth grade students. I believe that this is true because the more television or less television a student watches affects the outcome of how well their test scores will be. If that student watches television more than he or she studies the outcome of their scores will be low. The less television that they watch will make the outcome of their scores more appropriate than opposed to watching too much television. Dealing with my multivariate hypothesis I stated the number of hours a student watches television has an effect on test scores. The difference of males and females varies. Males watch television more than females do. This control variable of gender influences this bivariate relationship greatly. Young males tend to watch television more than females do. The reason being is females are more concerned with their work than males. With my last multivariate hypothesis I stated the number of hours a student watches television brings about change in the overall test scores. Students that qualify for the free lunch program are more likely to have low test scores. I believe this is true because kids that get free or reduced lunch tend to be in low income families. Their parents might have not received a high level education which influences that childs work ethic to study.

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Results
Table 1 Overall Math Proficiency by Number of Hours Studied

Respondents Hours TV Watched Dont Watch TV to LT one Hour a Day 44.0 56.0 11.7 (1086)

Proficiency

1 to 3 Hours

4 to 5 Hours

5 Hours+

Total

Below Level 1 Level 1 and 2 to all 3 Levels Totals (N)

44.6 55.4 46.8 (4336)

55.2 44.8 29.2 (2706)

65.5 34.5 12.2 (1129)

50.2 49.8 100.0 (9257)

Source: National Education Longitudinal Study: Base Year Through Fourth Follow-Up, 1988-2000

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Table 2 Overall Math Proficiency by Number of Hours Studied Controlling for Rs Gender (%) Respondents Hours TV Watched

Dont watch to Proficiency LT 1 Hour a day 1 to 3 Hours 4 to 5 Hours 5 Hours+ Totals

Male Respondents
Below Level 1 to 1 Level 1 and 2 to All 3 levels Totals (N) 11.3 (489) 47.8 (2064) 28.5 (1230) 12.4 (537) 100.0 (4320) 58.7 58.0 48.4 38.7 52.9 41.3 42.0 51.6 61.3 47.1

Female Respondents
Below Level 1 to 1 Level 1 and 2 to All 3 Levels Totals (N) 12.0 (587) 46.0 (2244) 30.0 (1462) 12.0 (587) 100.0 (4880) 54.2 52.9 41.8 30.8 47.0 45.8 47.1 58.2 69.2 53.0

Source: National Education Longitudinal Study: Base Year Through Fourth Follow-Up, 1988-2000

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Table 3 Overall Math Proficiency by Number of Hours Studied Controlling for Rs Receiving free Lunch (%)
Dont watch TV to Lt 1 Hour a Day

Proficiency

1 to 3 Hours

4 to 5 Hours

5 Hours+

Totals

None to 5% Respondents
Below Level 1 to 1 Level 1 and 2 to All 3 Levels Total (N) 15.8 (438) 50.9 (1409) 25.1 (695) 8.1 (224) 100.0 (2766) 72.8 66.5 54.5 46.0 62.8 27.2 33.5 45.5 54.0 37.2

6 to 20% Respondents Below Level 1 to 1 Level 1 and 2 to All 3 Levels Total (N) 44.8 43.6 51.2 63.2 48.3

55.2

56.4

48.8

36.8

51.7

10.3 (268)

47.9 (1242)

29.8 (771)

12.0 (310)

100.0 (2591)

21 to 50%Respondents Below Level 1 to 1 Level 1 and 2 to All 3 Levels Total (N) 58.4 49.8 61.2 70.2 57.1

41.6

50.2

38.8

29.8

42.9

9.5 (257)

44.7 (1210)

32.0 (865)

13.8 (372)

100.0 (2704)

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51 to 100% Respondents Below Level 1 to 1 Level 1 and 2 to All 3 Levels Total (N) 79.2 70.3 69.8 73.2 71.6

20.8

29.7

30.2

26.8

28.4

9.6 (101)

39.1 (411)

31.8 (334)

19.5 (205)

100.0 (1051)

Source: National Education Longitudinal Study: Base Year Through Fourth Follow-Up, 1988-2000

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Discussion My hypothesis of this data was that the number of hours a student watches television has an effect on test scores. The difference of males and females varies. Males watch television more than females do. Based on the qualification of the free lunch program students that obtain this tend to have lower scores than students who do not obtain this. Due to my results I was slightly wrong. With gender being my control variable for this bivariate relationship it showed that females watched television more than males, and that their test scores showed for it. My percentage for males on the proficiency test below level 1 to 1 was 47.1%, but for females it was 53.0%. This is saying that the females in this study are lacking the proper work ethic. However the free lunch program, being my control variable for this relationship, came out to be true. The more students that were in this program showed to be below proper testing scores. The students that were not in this program were doing better opposed to the people in the free lunch program. Students that were in the percent range of none to 5% had 37.2% below level one but had 62.8% that were Level 1 and 2 to All 3 Levels. As the percent of free lunch students began to raise so did the percentage of below level scores. The reason being is because the students that obtain free lunch, their percentages of how much they watch television are steadily rising. As I stated in my rationale students that have free lunch are more than likely coming from a low income family. In one of my articles called School Lunch Politics: the Surprising History of Americas Favorite Welfare Program this is saying that their parents may have not received a high degree of education and the parents are not pushing them to do better, opposed to students not on free lunch. In another one of my articles I found called The

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Influence of Participation in the National School Lunch Program and Food Insecurity on Child Well-being; it stated that students that are part of this free lunch program are usually in a family with an income between 135 and 185 of the poverty line. This is basically backing up my hypothesis, but they believe that students that are part of the NSLP effects their health and attitude behavior, but not test scores. I believe if this program only affects their health and attitude behavior it should affect their test scores as well. The reason being is because if their health is not well and their attitude is not in the right place then they are not going to be in the proper position to have high test scores. In conclusion, the parents of these students that are below level one of the proficiency test should monitor their kids studying habits. The reason being is because too much television can corrupt a students mind, also when there is no kind of studying being done. Television time should also be limited as well so that these students can succeed and not conform to the ways of the world by becoming another statistic.

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References
Dunifon, R. D. (2003, March). The influences of participation in the national school lunch program and food insecurity on child wellbeing. Retrieved from : http://www.jstor.org/stable/10.1086/345705. Levine, S. L. (2008, December). school lunch politics: The surprising history of america's favorite welfare program. Retrieved from http://www.jstor.org/stable/10.1086/ahr.113.5.1585

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