Stats of sociology

Format your paper correctly (12pt font, Times New Roman, double space lines, 1 inch
margins). The word minimum is 500 (around two double-spaced pages). You will be
graded on format, clarity, conceptual mastery, and insight. Papers must be submitted
through the turnitin assignment link in eCampus.
A. Read the New York Times article on the Dementia risk among retired NFL players.
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/09/30/sports/football/30dementia.html?pagewanted=all&_r=1amp;

or get the article at

http://www.livingdementia.com/downloads/newsletters/2012/ny_times_2009_nfl_dement
Ia.pdf

Note the paragraph that reads:
“The Michigan researchers found that 6.1 percent of players age 50 and
above reported that they had received a dementia-related diagnosis, five
times higher than the cited national average, 1.2 percent. Players ages 30
through 49 showed a rate of 1.9 percent, or 19 times that of the national
average, 0.1 percent.”

B. Read the original report prepared by the University of Michigan’s Institute for Social
Research: http://ns.umich.edu/Releases/2009/Sep09/FinalReport.pdf

Note Table 7.3 which shows the results of the question related to memory-related
diseases. These results are based on 1,063 completed interviews (N is from Table 1).

For your paper:
1. Using the results from Table 7.3, calculate and interpret the Z-scores to test significant
difference between the proportion of rates of dementia between (you do not have to show
your work, just report your Z-score) 30-49 year-old US men and 30-49 year-old NFL
retirees (n=374).
2. Using the results from Table 7.3, calculate and interpret the Z-scores to test significant
difference between 50+ year-old US men and 50+ year-old NFL retirees (n=670).
3. Using your calculations and interpretations, write a paragraph or two for the New York
Times describing the differences you found—but in terms of Z-scores and the normal
curve and not in terms of “five times higher than the national average”
4. Write another paragraph or two, for the Commissioner of the NFL, explaining why
using a Z-score is more revealing and gives us more information than a simple
comparison using phrases like, “five times higher than the national average.”
5. I wonder if depressive symptoms are better or worse for younger NFL retirees. Write up
a short answer to the research question, “Is there a significant difference in the rates of
depression (Table 7.1) between 30-49-year-old NFL retirees (n=364) and 50+ year-old
NFL retirees (n=670)?” Use any of the “Lifetime Depression Screener” questions from

Table 7.1 to make your comparison. What does your statistical finding suggest about
younger retirees?

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