Graduate Student Job Description – Membership Survey Data Analysis
AEA’s Membership Survey Working Group is in need of assistance from 1-2 graduate students to help with data analysis of the 2015 AEA membership survey results. The work (described below) is a paid, independent contractor position and requires a quick turn-around. (See more details below.)
The successful graduate student candidate would:
1. Have to have, access to:
- A computer with statistical software: SPSS, SAS or equivalent software to run frequencies, percentages, cross tabs, and conduct hypothesis testing for data set of 1700 responses with multiple respondent groups.
- Word processing software (MS Word preferred) and spreadsheet software (MS Excel preferred) to transfer statistical software output into a format that can be read by those without statistical software and to create reports.
2. Must know how to:
- Clean closed ended survey data and recode responses,
- Create categories in the statistical software they are running (e.g. SPSS, SAS) using syntax.
- Run frequencies, percentages, and means in statistical software,
- Conduct basic psychometric tests like factor analysis, principal components analysis, Cronbach’s alpha, and checking for item variability, and
- Create cross tabulations and preferably run hypothesis tests (e.g. chi square) and statistical tests such as t-tests and tests for significance of correlations
- Ideally, familiar with multivariate analytical techniques (e.g. multiple regression logistic regression) and have access to software in order to run a range of predictor variables (e.g. demographic variables) for a variety of individual outcomes (e.g. member satisfaction) to determine what are the things that predict attitudes towards AEA.
3. Must be willing to perform the following tasks:
- Finish cleaning the data.
- Recommend variables to be constructed or take our pre-defined ones.
- Conduct basic analysis of items and scales to determine validity and reliability.
- Recode data to create analysis variables/scales in consultation with the working group.
- First run the frequencies by categories and have working group review.
- Conduct statistical analysis models as directed by the working group.
- Run the data AND write a technical report of the statistical methods findings. This report would include data cleaning, scale construction, analysis steps and procedures and findings.
- Assist the working group in interpreting findings for the formal report
To Submit: Please send resume/CV and statement of qualifications that highlight skills/experience which match the stated requirements above to Denise Roosendaal, AEA, 2025 M Street NW, Suite 800, Washington, DC 20036 or via email to droosendaal@eval.org.
Release Date: September 14, 2015
Statement of Qualifications due: October 1, 2015
Selection of Graduate Student to be made by: October 10, 2015
Scope of Work Discussed with Working Group: October 14, 2015
Selected graduate students will be independent contractors and will be expected to sign an independent contractor agreement. No taxes will be withheld.
Fee and Payment:
- If interested in just running frequencies/percentages and maybe cross tabs - $18/hour;
- If interested in running regression - $22/hour.
Payment will be made by AEA thirty (30) days after submission of invoice and 1099 tax form.
Time Allotment: Getting data cleaned/setup (20 hours minimum); Running frequencies/percentage and put into a readable form (40 hours); Running regression (not too fussy on models) (another 40-50 hours); Writing up a technical description of analysis and findings (15-20 hours); Participate in consultation with the Working Group (about 10-15 hours). Total time of 135 hours maximum to be split between one to two graduate students.
