Exam 1: Why Statistics for Public Managers and Policy Analysts

Institutional Review Boards oversee and regulate the quality of research.

Data are used for evaluating outcomes.

Technical skills are sufficient and essential to ensuring soundness of analysis.

Statistics is the careful, systematic process of inquiry that leads to the discovery or interpretation of facts, behaviors, and theories.

Managers do not need to know how to collect their own data.

People at the "know nothing" stage of proficiency need to find useful examples of analysis that can help them.

There are three areas of ethical concern: (1) the integrity of purpose, (2) the integrity of the process of analysis and communication, and (3) the integrity of dealing with human subjects.

Managers and analysts need to be able to analyze data and present the findings of their analysis.

Data are used for describing policies and programs.

Data are used for monitoring fraud and preventing progress.

Data are used to improve program operations.

The textbook discusses four stages of proficiency.

Data are used for describing and analyzing problems.

Sophisticated experts have found the right balance between the development of policies and programs and the use of objective data and analysis to further decision-making.

Accreditation bodies such as the Network of Schools in Public Policy, Affairs, and Administration, recognizes the role of quantitative skills in ensuring students required competencies.

Dual purposes means that analysts have hidden facts or changed data.

Each year cases of scientific misconduct and fraud make headlines.

Managers and analysts will have to be familiar with data sources in their lines of business.

Key ethical principles in research involving people are that their participation should be voluntary and based on informed consent.

The textbook discusses three competencies for data analysis.