Module2

Exercise 2.1: Locating Quantitative Data  Your Total Score:_ (Maximum: 6 points)

 You must use the LexisNexis Statistical Datasets to find a trend line graph and accompanying data table with at least three pieces of data, relevant to your societal category. The data must represent information within the last five years. Use the database’s ‘print’ feature to print out that graph and data table. Attach the print out directly behind the page on which this exercise appears. (6 points)

 • Write one sentence describing one data point from your trend line graph and include an internal citation here: The line graph shows how the percentage of obesity in America has grown and it will still grow in the future.

 Earthfare. "Just How Bad Is Obesity In America?" Just How Bad Is Obesity in America. Earthfare, 2010. Web. 21 Oct. 2010. < @http://tomatotalk.earthfare.com/2010/01/06/just-how-bad-is-obesity-in-america/ >.

 • Identify the Source Organization for this data and indicate that here:

 OAC- Obesity Action Coalition

Graphs: []

Exercise 2.2: Finding Periodical Articles  Your Total Score:_ (Maximum: 8 points)

 Using the ProQuest Research Library database, locate a news or magazine article relevant to your societal category at any geographic level. Do not use an article from an academic journal. Attach a photocopy or printout of the first page of the article directly behind this exercise. Make sure the article was published within the last six months.

 • Quote one relevant sentence from the article that is related to your societal category here:  Osteoporosis is a significant and growing public health problem among the elderly. In the U.S. alone, it affects over 25 million people, mostly older women.

Exercise 2.3: Locating Books Your Total Score:_ (Maximum: 6 points)

Using the library catalog, find a book on your societal category at any geographic level. The publication date of the book must be within the last fifteen years. Books published by the government may not be used for this exercise. Attach a photocopy of the title page directly behind the page on which this exercise appears.

Directly quote a full sentence from the book that is related to your societal category here:

“It is an epidemic of infectious disease that spreads through population across a large region, for instance a continent, or even worldwide.” (7)

Dumar, A.M.(2009). Swine Flu: What You Need To Know. New York, NY: Brownstone Books.

Exercise 2.4: Using United States Government Publications Your Total Score:_ (Maximum: 6 points)

Using http://catalog.gpo.gov, locate one United States government publication relevant to your societal category at any geographic level.

● The publication should include a clearly identified "title page" and the names of individual or organizational authors, such as those found within formal government agency reports, newsletters, online journals/magazines, etc. These government publications are often posted in "PDF”. Their pages frequently are numbered. ● The publication you locate should not merely consist of a brief news ● announcement or other informal online information summary. These types of publications are often posted on the web in "HTML" format only. ● Do not use U.S. Census information. ● Attach a photocopy or printout of the cover or title page of the document directly behind the page on which this exercise appears. ● No citation is needed for this exercise.

In one sentence, explain briefly why this publication will provide you with useful information about your societal category here:

It shows that nurses are needed more throughout the years.

Exercise 2.5: Using Policy Publications Your Total Score: _ (Maximum 12 points)

A. Using CQ Researcher, find a publication that contains information relevant to your societal category at any geographic level. (6 points) Part A Score:

● Using full sentences, quote no more than three sentences from the article that gives you a better understanding of your societal category here:

These animals are better kept than most humans,” says Karen Sokol, a veterinarian at the university, where scientists use animals in a variety of experiments; the macaques, for example, are helping to test a new male contraceptive.

Masci, D. (1996, August 2). Fighting over animal rights. CQ Researcher, 6, 673-696. Retrieved October 4, 2010, from CQ Researcher Online, http://library.cqpress.com.libezproxy2.syr.edu/cqresearcher /cqresrre1996080200.

B. Using the “Contacts” section of the CQ Researcher article, find one of the organizations from the list (preferably a public policy institute), and retrieve a policy paper, working paper, policy brief, or online report from the past five years on your societal category. The “Contacts” section appears once you have opened an article. It is one of the links in the gray column at the left margin of each CQ Researcher publication. (6 points)

Part B Score: _

Quote one sentence from the publication that gives evidence of a societal problem that exists within your societal category here:

Founded in 1980, PETA now has about 500,000 members and is the best-known animal rights group in the nation. It provides information on laboratory research animals, cosmetics testing, factory farming, vegetarianism and other animal rights issues.

Masci, D. (1996, August 2). Fighting over animal rights. CQ Researcher, 6, 673-696. Retrieved October 4, 2010, from CQ Researcher Online, http://library.cqpress.com.libezproxy2.syr.edu/cqresearcher /cqresrre1996080211.

Exercise 2.6: Using United States Census Data Your Total Score:_ (Maximum: 15 points)

Use the “American FactFinder” on the 2000 online census report (http://www.census.gov) to locate the information for your home census area, a comparable census area, and the United States, and fill out the chart below with the required information from the 2000 online census report. ● Fill in the top row of the table with the name of a county and the county that is comparable to the original county. Be sure to indicate the state. ● The comparable county must be similar to your census area, which is a county, in population size. A comparable population is within 20% of the population size of the original county. ● If you do not use the 2000 online census report, you will lose all points on this exercise. ● Do not cite or reference this exercise. 

 Exercise 2.7: Narrowing your societal category Your Total Score: _ (Maximum: 5 points)
 * || **Westchester County** || **Putnam County** || **United States** ||
 * **Population** || 95,745 || 98,726 || 281,421.906 ||
 * **Median Age (years)** || 37.4 || 38.2 || 35.3 ||
 * **% White** || 93.9 || 99.2 || 75.1 ||
 * **% Male** || 49.9 || 49 || 49.1 ||
 * **Per Capita Income ($)** || 30,127 || 18,197 || 21,587 ||
 * **% Individuals BelowPoverty Level ** || 4.4 || 13.2 || 12.4 ||
 * **% Vacant <span class="yshortcuts" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; border-bottom-color: initial; border-bottom-style: none; border-bottom-width: initial; color: #366388; cursor: pointer;">Housing Units ** || 6.6 || 15.5 || 9.0 ||
 * **% High School Graduate or Higher** || 90.2 || 82.8 || 80.4 ||

Based on the research you have done in this chapter, narrow your societal category to a specific societal problem within it. Be sure to state it as a problem.

● Write your specific societal problem, indicating a specific geographic location suffering from the problem here:

Obesity in children has being and still is a social problem in the United States. Children’s health has gotten worst in the past years. Many children don’t see and care what they eat everyday such as fatty foods that are really bad for their health. Children who are obesity have been getting health problems such as high cholesterol, diabetes and so much more. They are too young to get sick and some of them are in the risk of getting worst diseases because of their weight.

<span style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande',tahoma,verdana,arial,sans-serif; line-height: normal;">Exercise 3.1: Researching Your Players <span style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande',tahoma,verdana,arial,sans-serif; line-height: normal;"> Your Total Score: _ (Maximum: 30 points)

<span style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande',tahoma,verdana,arial,sans-serif; line-height: normal;"> List three individuals, either a player or a staff person of the player, who deal with your narrowed societal problem, keeping in mind the geographic location you specified. Be sure to follow the prompts listed below. <span style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande',tahoma,verdana,arial,sans-serif; line-height: normal;"> Lynn Parker, Annina Catherine Burns and Eduardo Sanchez

<span style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande',tahoma,verdana,arial,sans-serif; line-height: normal;"> 1.) Write the name and position of an elected government official who serves at the local, state or national level here. State the geographic location that they represent.: <span style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande',tahoma,verdana,arial,sans-serif; line-height: normal;"> Michelle Obama, The United States.

<span style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande',tahoma,verdana,arial,sans-serif; line-height: normal;"> Write the player’s phone number and email address here (If instead of an email address you find a site that allows you to send a message to the individual, indicate this and provide a link to the site. This applies to all of 3.1): <span style="color: #3b5998; cursor: pointer; font-family: 'lucida grande',tahoma,verdana,arial,sans-serif; line-height: normal; text-decoration: none;"> @http://www.emailthepresident.com/

<span style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande',tahoma,verdana,arial,sans-serif; line-height: normal;"> Write why he/she will provide you with useful information by describing one policy he/she had worked on previously: <span style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande',tahoma,verdana,arial,sans-serif; line-height: normal;"> Michelle Obama has recently started a movement for childhood obesity prevention. She has come up with an ambitious plan and is taking small steps in order to achieve this goal.

<span style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande',tahoma,verdana,arial,sans-serif; line-height: normal;"> Write three questions related to your specific societal problem that you could ask the player here: <span style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande',tahoma,verdana,arial,sans-serif; line-height: normal;"> - What is people cannot afford to buy healthy foods for their family? <span style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande',tahoma,verdana,arial,sans-serif; line-height: normal;"> - How can you prevent people from going to fast food chains? <span style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande',tahoma,verdana,arial,sans-serif; line-height: normal;"> - What do you plan to do about the food sold at schools?

<span style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande',tahoma,verdana,arial,sans-serif; line-height: normal;"> 2.) Write the name and position of a non-elected player from a governmental department here. Specify where they work by providing their geographic location. <span style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande',tahoma,verdana,arial,sans-serif; line-height: normal;"> Dr. Margaret Hamburg, Commissioner of the FDA.

<span style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande',tahoma,verdana,arial,sans-serif; line-height: normal;"> Write the player’s phone number and email address here: <span style="color: #3b5998; cursor: pointer; font-family: 'lucida grande',tahoma,verdana,arial,sans-serif; line-height: normal; text-decoration: none;"> @http://www.fda.gov/AboutFDA/CommissionersPage/default.htm

<span style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande',tahoma,verdana,arial,sans-serif; line-height: normal;"> Write why he/she will provide you with useful information by describing one policy he/she had worked on previously: <span style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande',tahoma,verdana,arial,sans-serif; line-height: normal;"> She can provide me with useful information because Hamburg's career has focused on public health, bio-defense and disease control, and New Yorkers credit her with a substantial reduction in tuberculosis rates and increase in childhood immunizations during her tenure. She later served as an assistant health secretary in the Clinton administration.

<span style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande',tahoma,verdana,arial,sans-serif; line-height: normal;"> Read more: @http://www.time.com/time/nation/article/0,8599,1884627,00.html

<span style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande',tahoma,verdana,arial,sans-serif; line-height: normal;"> Write three questions related to your specific societal problem that you could ask the player here: <span style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande',tahoma,verdana,arial,sans-serif; line-height: normal;"> - How can you raise awareness in communities? <span style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande',tahoma,verdana,arial,sans-serif; line-height: normal;"> - What can you do so that parents support your ideas? <span style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande',tahoma,verdana,arial,sans-serif; line-height: normal;"> - How do you think the public will react to a healthier lifestyle?

<span style="color: #3b5998; cursor: pointer; font-family: 'lucida grande',tahoma,verdana,arial,sans-serif; line-height: normal; text-decoration: none;"> @http://www.time.com/time/nation/article/0,8599,1884627,00.html

<span style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande',tahoma,verdana,arial,sans-serif; line-height: normal;"> 3.) Write the name, their position, and the non-profit organization or public interest/lobby group they work for here. The non-profit organization or public interest/lobby group may be local, state or national. <span style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande',tahoma,verdana,arial,sans-serif; line-height: normal;"> Louie's kids is a tax-exempt, nonprofit organization. <span style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande',tahoma,verdana,arial,sans-serif; line-height: normal;"> Write the player’s phone number and email address here: <span style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande',tahoma,verdana,arial,sans-serif; line-height: normal;"> info@louieskids.org

<span style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande',tahoma,verdana,arial,sans-serif; line-height: normal;"> Write why he/she will provide you with useful information by describing one policy he/she had worked on or one service the organization has provided previously: <span style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande',tahoma,verdana,arial,sans-serif; line-height: normal;"> Louie's kids raises funds to help treat childhood obesity, which afflicts 25 million American children today. Louie's Kids works to find the best treatment options to meet the needs of each child.

<span style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande',tahoma,verdana,arial,sans-serif; line-height: normal;"> Write three questions related to your specific societal problem that you could ask the player here: <span style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande',tahoma,verdana,arial,sans-serif; line-height: normal;"> -How do you motivate children to be healthy? <span style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande',tahoma,verdana,arial,sans-serif; line-height: normal;"> -What activities do you suggest children get involved in? <span style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande',tahoma,verdana,arial,sans-serif; line-height: normal;"> - What do you think children need in order to get into shade and be healthy? <span style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande',tahoma,verdana,arial,sans-serif; line-height: normal;">[] Accessed on November 1, 2010 7:08 pm

Exercise 4.1: Gathering Information for and Determining the Purpose of a Survey Your Total Score:_ (Maximum: 16 points)

A. Select a player to be your “client,” and contact them or a member of their staff. This does not have to be a player from Exercise 3.1. Use the information you get from communicating with this person to answer the following bullets (10 points). After you receive a reply, send your contact a thank you e-mail with a carbon copy (CC) to your TA in the e-mail. Part A score:

● Name the individual you contacted, his/her organization, his/her title, and the geographic location where work: John C. Federspiel, CEO/President of Hudson Valley Hospital Center, 1980 Crompond Road, Cortland Manor, NY 10567 ● Write the individual’s phone number and email address here. (If instead of an email address you find a site that allows you to send a message to the individual, indicate this and provide a link to the site). 914-737-9000 http://www.hvhc.org/contact.asp Accessed on October 25, 2010, 9:23 AM ● Briefly describe the purpose of the survey you will be designing here, including a quote from the player that justifies why this survey will be useful: The survey will follow and see the progress of the emergency room in the Hudson Valley Hospital Center. "Many hospitals have come to look at our operation, tried to replicate it and they failed. I really feel it is an outgrowth of the wonderful culture that we have at the hospital and quality of our employees." http://westchesternewsonline.com/hudson-valley-hospital-center-celebrates-5th-anniversary-no-wait-er Accessed on October 25, 2010 9:32 AM

● Write a piece of factual information that could be gathered through your survey here: The hospital treats 35,000 annually. ● Write a piece of attitudinal information that could be gathered through your survey here: The effort was spearheaded in 2005 and Hospital President John Federspiel says the move has served to put HVHC in the top 5% in the Country in patient satisfaction.

● Describe a type of policy the player might develop from the information gathered in your survey here: Creating and controlling the “No-wait emergency room” in Hudson Valley Hospital Center.

B. Quote the definition of the term "target population" from the Maxwell Manual. (2 points) Part B score:_

● Place definition here: “The entire group of individuals about whom you want to gather information.”

(Coplin 2007: p.38)

C. Identify the target population you will sample for your survey. You cannot use any single K-12 school or a university as your target population. (4 points) Part C score:_

● Write a specific description of your target population including its geographic location and approximate size: My target population is Northern Westchester County which estimates to be approximately 300,000 people.

Exercise 4.2: Choosing a Sample and Method of Contact Your Total Score:_ (Maximum: 8 points)

A. Indicate and discuss which of the three methods of contact from the Maxwell Manual you will use to contact your sample. (4 points) Part A score:_

State the method here: Talking to the person being surveyed face-to-face. Justify why you have chosen to use this method here using information from the Maxwell Manual: It gives the person giving the survey a "chance to stimulate the subject’s interest." (Coplin 2007: p.49)

B. Identify one variable you will use to assess the degree to which your sample accurately reflects your target population. (4 points) Part B score:_

Identify the variable here: What’s the last digit of people’s zip code?

Explain why the variable you have chosen matters, and why it is important that the distribution of the variable should be similar to the target population: The last digit of the zip code does not directly correlate to the question being asked. It’s important that the distribution of the variable should be similar to the target because it should have some relation.

Exercise 4.3: Determining Sample Size Your Total Score:_ (Maximum: 15 points)

A. Clearly and concisely describe the exact procedures you will use to select the sample and contact the respondents. Be detailed and list each step needed to select the sample. Be realistic. (5 points) Part A score:_

● List the steps you will follow here: To contact the respondents, I will go first find out the last number of their zip code. At random, I would choose that their last number must be 7. Then I go to these areas, door-to-door, and survey them. I would contact these people at random, so it doesn’t directly correlate the question being asked.

B. Complete the following steps to determine your sample size and confidence interval. (4 points) Part B score:_

● Restate your target population and its size here: Employees from Hudson Valley Hospital Center; There are 505 people working in this hospital. http://www.ucomparehealthcare.com/hospital/report2.html?L=2228684713373732133242&R=0cia2lr2mR8XM44jSF30GGtS0&I=22286847&page=2&sub=4 Accessed on October 25, 2010, 9:40 AM

● Indicate the size of the sample you plan to analyze here: 100 employees is the size sample.

● Indicate the approximate percentage this represents of the target population here: This represents 20% of the target population.

● Indicate the 95% confidence interval of responses from a sample of this size here: +- 10% (Coplin 2007: p.43)

C. Complete the following steps to determine your response rate and required number of contacts. (6 points) Part C score:_

● Estimate the exact response rate you expect for your survey here: 10%

● Justify the rate you chose here: The Maxwell Manual explains that if the sample size 100, then the target population will be within this percentage.

● Write how many people you will have to contact in order to obtain your desired number of responses here: I will have to contact 10 people.

● Using the formula from the text, show the calculations that you used to find how many people you will have to contact here: If 10% = 0.10, then the equation “100x 0.10" is used to get the answer which is 10.

Exercise 4.4: Creating the Questions Your Total Score:_ (Maximum: 6 points)

Provide examples of two closed-choice questions for your survey. Base one question on the factual information your player identified in 4.1, and base the other on the attitudinal information your player identified in 4.1. All response categories must be shown.

Write the question that will gather factual information here: How many cigarettes do you smoke a day? Write the question that will gather attitudinal information here: Should public places like restaurants be smoke free?

Exercise 4.5: Examining News Media Treatment of Surveys Your Total Score:_ (Maximum: 6 points)

Using the ProQuest database or LexisNexis Academic database, locate a newspaper article from the last six months that presents or discusses a survey that has already been conducted on ANY subject, not necessarily the one studied in this module. The article may not be international. Attach a copy of the entire article directly behind the page on which this exercise appears.

● Quote at least one sentence from the article here: “The National Youth Tobacco Survey (NYTS) datasets are available for public use, so that researchers and public health managers can explore the data in detail. In addition, states can compare their estimates of prevalence of youth tobacco use with national data.”

http://www.cdc.gov/tobacco/data_statistics/surveys/nyts/index.htm Accessed on October 30, 2010, 2:45 PM

● Using the questions under “Examining News Media Treatment of Surveys” on page 54 of the Maxwell Manual, evaluate how thoroughly the author reported the procedures followed for the survey here by using at least three questions in your response. 1. For what purpose was the survey conducted and for whom was it carried out? To what specific target population are the results to be generalized? The survey was conducted to determine how many kids smoke/use tobacco. The target population were the young students, who were mostly from 11-18 years old, who went to certain schools based on student ID number.

2. What evidence is provided that the sample reflects the target population? The article explains it surveys the youth and in the survey they ask what grade the people are in, which are the grades that are in middle school (grades 6-12).

3. What were the key questions and how were they worded? Key questions were: ● How old are you? ● What grade are you in? ● About how many cigarettes have you smoked in your entire life? ● Have you ever smoked cigarettes daily, that is, at least one cigarette every day for 30 days? ● Have you ever used chewing tobacco, snuff, or dip, such as Redman, Levi Garrett, Beechnut, Skoal, Skoal Bandits, or Copenhagen?

<span style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande',tahoma,verdana,arial,sans-serif; line-height: normal;">August 26, 2010 National Youth Tobacco Survey @http://www.cdc.gov/tobacco/data_statistics/surveys/nyts/index.htm Accessed on October 30, 2010, 2:45 PM

<span style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande',tahoma,verdana,arial,sans-serif; line-height: normal;"> Dumar, A.M.(2009). Swine Flu: What You Need To Know. New York, NY: Brownstone Books.

<span style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande',tahoma,verdana,arial,sans-serif; line-height: normal;"> Earthfare. "Just How Bad Is Obesity In America?" Just How Bad Is Obesity in America. Earthfare, 2010. Web. 21 Oct. 2010. < @http://tomatotalk.earthfare.com/2010/01/06/just-how-bad-is-obesity-in-america/ >.

<span style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande',tahoma,verdana,arial,sans-serif; line-height: normal;"> Hospital Quick Check Report 2010 @http://www.ucomparehealthcare.com/hospital/report2.html?L=2228684713373732133242&R=0cia2lr2mR8XM44jSF30GGtS0&I=22286847&page=2&sub=4 Accessed on October 25, 2010, 9:40 AM

<span style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande',tahoma,verdana,arial,sans-serif; line-height: normal;"> Hudson Valley Hospital Center Celebrates 5th Anniversary of No Wait ER @http://westchesternewsonline.com/hudson-valley-hospital-center-celebrates-5th-anniversary-no-wait-er Accessed on October 25, 2010 9:32 AM

<span style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande',tahoma,verdana,arial,sans-serif; line-height: normal;"> John C. Federspiel, CEO/President of Hudson Valley Hospital Center, 1980 Crompond Road, Cortland Manor, NY 10567 <span style="color: #3b5998; cursor: pointer; font-family: 'lucida grande',tahoma,verdana,arial,sans-serif; line-height: normal; text-decoration: none;"> @http://www.census.gov/

<span style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande',tahoma,verdana,arial,sans-serif; line-height: normal;"> Masci, D. (1996, August 2). Fighting over animal rights. CQ Researcher, 6, 673-696. Retrieved October 4, 2010, from CQ Researcher Online, @http://library.cqpress.com.libezproxy2.syr.edu/cqresearcher /cqresrre1996080211.

<span style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande',tahoma,verdana,arial,sans-serif; line-height: normal;">Spangler, Frederic. 1997 The Genetic Component of Osteoporosis. @http://www.csa.com/discoveryguides/archives/osteo.php Retrieved October 30, 2010 at 4:15 pm.

<span style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande',tahoma,verdana,arial,sans-serif; line-height: normal;"> Wolfson, Paula. March 20, 2009 President Obama Calls for a “New Beginning” in a Message to Iran. @http://www.emailthepresident.com/ Retrieved October 31, 2010 at 6:39pm.