Peddle,+L

=Stage 1: = Brainstorm: Question: Is there a strong correlation between education type and average graduate income?
 * violent games(sport) vs. violent crime rate
 * violent games(video) vs. violent crime rate
 * geography vs. crime rate
 * income vs. type of education(i.e. public vs. private)
 * Geographic location(temperature) vs. academic achievement

Hypothesis: I believe that public education has more graduates with low income than private schools do because private schools can fire ineffective teachers, unlike public schools. This ability causes private school students do better academically because of the quality of teaching. The superior knowledge foundation gives these students an academic edge in post secondary education because they will understand concepts that students who had inept teachers will struggle with. This advantage will translate into better grades and as such will allow them to acquire jobs in more prestigious firms. The prestigious firms will be able to afford to hire them at higher wage than smaller firms, giving them a higher wage.  

Question: In the United States, does the average state temperature have a positive correlation with student academic achievement, mainly focusing on the years of 2005 and 2006 focusing on fourth grade students?

Hypothesis: I believe that in states with average temperatures outside of a range of moderate temperatures, i.e. cold (below 60) or hot (above 70), the student's academic scores will be lower than those with milder temperatures. The climates with longer periods of hot allow students to be able to stay outdoors with friends longer than those who live in moderate climates because they have an extended summer season (i.e. Florida rarely had its temperature go below 60 °F in 1994). However in the cold climate there is an extended winter season, which cause the February 'blahs' to occur for a longer period of time. This would cause students to be unmotivated toward their studies and score lower (i.e. in Maine temperatures did not go above 80 °in 1994).

= Stage 2: =

** Independent and Dependent Variables: **
The independent variable would be a regions average temperature, and the dependent would be the student living within that region's academic ability.

=
Sampling Technique: This is a multi-stage sample, its levels are: geographic location, school type (public, not public), students within the school. The selected individuals are then separated into two groups; one group is tested on mathematics, the other on writing.=====

Bias: The main issue with this technique is that school personnel are able to choose which students write the tests, and therefore contains sampling bias. This allows them to skew the results by choosing students who are strong in Math or English, causing the results to show stronger student abilities than actually present within schools.

=** Data Analysis: **=

One Variable:
The one variable data I will be analyzing is the frequency of grade average 

Conclusion: The analysis of one variable data, in respect to state scores on reading and mathematic, has shown predominately two things. One being that no state score better than ‘basic’ on either national test. While the math test scores did come somewhat close to the ‘proficiency’ level, the English scores were much closer to the basic cutoff line, some 10% scoring below it.

Two Variable Data:
I will be comparing student grade (dependent) to average temperature (independent) of their geographic location

**General Data:**
The percentage of eighth graders to archive mathematics skill level, 2006


 * Geographic Region || Below Basic || Basic or Above || Proficient or Above || Advanced or Above || Average NAEP Score (out of 500) ||
 * Northeast || 33 || 67 || 27 || 5 || 277 ||
 * Southeast || 44 || 56 || 18 || 3 || 266 ||
 * Central || 31 || 69 || 29 || 5 || 277 ||
 * West || 41 || 59 || 22 || 3 || 269 ||

As shown by the above information (adapted from table 126, //Digest of Education Statistics: 2000// ), northeastern and central states had the highest scores of proficient or above, as well as highest average scores. These geographical regions both have a cool temperate according to //Annual Mean Daily Average Temperatures,// as well as [|U.S. HCN]. These regions consist mostly of states that have average temperatures below 55.0 °F. 

Average NAEP scores for 13 year olds, 2004
 * Geographic Region || Average Score (out of 500) || || ||
 * Subject || History || Geography || Science ||
 * Northeast || 266 || 266 || 263 ||
 * Southeast || 251 || 252 || 253 ||
 * Central || 266 || 268 || 261 ||
 * West || 256 || 255 || 252 ||

This chart also shows Northeast and central states scoring higher than western and southeastern states. Cooler climate and moderate climate states appear to constantly score higher than their warmer counterparts.



**Specific Data:**

 * State || Average Temperature(X) || Student Grade Average(Y) || X2 || Y2 || XY ||
 * Alabama || 61.75 || 225 || 3813.0625 || 50625 || 13893.75 ||
 * Alaska || 36.15 || 235 || 1306.8225 || 55225 || 8495.25 ||
 * Arizona || 72.95 || 230 || 5321.7025 || 52900 || 16778.5 ||
 * Arkansas || 61.8 || 235 || 3819.24 || 55225 || 14523 ||
 * California || 65.6 || 230 || 4303.36 || 52900 || 15088 ||
 * Colorado || 50.3 || 239 || 2530.09 || 57121 || 12021.7 ||
 * Connecticut || 51.87 || 242 || 2690.4969 || 58564 || 12552.54 ||
 * Delaware || 54.07 || 239 || 2923.5649 || 57121 || 12922.73 ||
 * Florida || 67.67 || 239 || 4579.2289 || 57121 || 16173.13 ||
 * Georgia || 61.77 || 233 || 3815.5329 || 54289 || 14392.41 ||
 * Hawaii || 77.4 || 230 || 5990.76 || 52900 || 17802 ||
 * Idaho || 52.07 || 241 || 2711.2849 || 58081 || 12548.87 ||
 * Illinois || 48.8 || 233 || 2381.44 || 54289 || 11370.4 ||
 * Indiana || 52.12 || 240 || 2716.4944 || 57600 || 12508.8 ||
 * Iowa || 49.97 || 240 || 2497.0009 || 57600 || 11992.8 ||
 * Kansas || 55.22 || 246 || 3049.2484 || 60516 || 13584.12 ||
 * Kentucky || 54.82 || 231 || 3005.2324 || 53361 || 12663.42 ||
 * Louisiana || 66.62 || 230 || 4438.2244 || 52900 || 15322.6 ||
 * Maine || 39 || 241 || 1521 || 58081 || 9399 ||
 * Maryland || 54.35 || 238 || 2953.9225 || 56644 || 12935.3 ||
 * Massachusetts || 51.4 || 247 || 2641.96 || 61009 || 12695.8 ||
 * Michigan || 49.5 || 238 || 2450.25 || 56644 || 11781 ||
 * Minnesota || 39.1 || 246 || 1528.81 || 60516 || 9618.6 ||
 * Mississippi || 63.55 || 226 || 4038.6025 || 51076 || 14362.3 ||
 * Missouri || 54.15 || 235 || 2932.2225 || 55225 || 12725.25 ||
 * Montana || 47.55 || 241 || 2261.0025 || 58081 || 11459.55 ||
 * Nebraska || 50.75 || 237 || 2575.5625 || 56169 || 12027.75 ||
 * Nevada || 68.22 || 230 || 4653.9684 || 52900 || 15690.6 ||
 * New Hampshire || 45.62 || 245 || 2081.1844 || 60025 || 11176.9 ||
 * New Jersey || 53.27 || 244 || 2837.6929 || 59536 || 12997.88 ||
 * New Mexico || 56.77 || 224 || 3222.8329 || 50176 || 12716.48 ||
 * New York || 47.3 || 238 || 2237.29 || 56644 || 11257.4 ||
 * North Carolina || 54.52 || 241 || 2972.4304 || 58081 || 13139.32 ||
 * North Dakota || 42.27 || 242 || 1786.7529 || 58564 || 10229.34 ||
 * Ohio || 49.35 || 242 || 2435.4225 || 58564 || 11942.7 ||
 * Oklahoma || 60.1 || 234 || 3612.01 || 54756 || 14063.4 ||
 * Oregon || 53.37 || 238 || 2848.3569 || 56644 || 12702.06 ||
 * Pennsylvania || 55.05 || 240 || 3030.5025 || 57600 || 13212 ||
 * Rhode Island || 50.9 || 233 || 2590.81 || 54289 || 11859.7 ||
 * South Carolina || 65 || 238 || 4225 || 56644 || 15470 ||
 * South Dakota || 45.17 || 241 || 2040.3289 || 58081 || 10885.97 ||
 * Tennessee || 57.8 || 232 || 3340.84 || 53824 || 13409.6 ||
 * Texas || 68.32 || 242 || 4667.6224 || 58564 || 16533.44 ||
 * Utah || 52.17 || 238 || 2721.7089 || 56644 || 12416.46 ||
 * Vermont || 44.95 || 243 || 2020.5025 || 59049 || 10922.85 ||
 * Virginia || 59.42 || 240 || 3530.7364 || 57600 || 14260.8 ||
 * Washington || 49.5 || 241 || 2450.25 || 58081 || 11929.5 ||
 * West Virginia || 54.17 || 230 || 2934.3889 || 52900 || 12459.1 ||
 * Wisconsin || 46.02 || 240 || 2117.8404 || 57600 || 11044.8 ||
 * Wyoming || 45.17 || 243 || 2040.3289 || 59049 || 10976.31 ||
 * **Sum:** || **2714.73** || **11866** || **151194.9201** || **2817598** || 642935.18 ||




 * State || Average Temperature (X) || Average Student Proficiency (Y) || X2 || Y2 || XY ||
 * Alabama || 61.75 || 208 || 3813.0625 || 43264 || 12844 ||
 * Alaska || 36.15 || 211 || 1306.8225 || 44521 || 7627.65 ||
 * Arizona || 72.95 || 207 || 5321.7025 || 42849 || 15100.65 ||
 * Arkansas || 61.8 || 217 || 3819.24 || 47089 || 13410.6 ||
 * California || 65.6 || 206 || 4303.36 || 42436 || 13513.6 ||
 * Colorado || 50.3 || 224 || 2530.09 || 50176 || 11267.2 ||
 * Connecticut || 51.87 || 226 || 2690.4969 || 51076 || 11722.62 ||
 * Delaware || 54.07 || 226 || 2923.5649 || 51076 || 12219.82 ||
 * Florida || 67.67 || 219 || 4579.2289 || 47961 || 14819.73 ||
 * Georgia || 61.77 || 214 || 3815.5329 || 45796 || 13218.78 ||
 * Hawaii || 77.4 || 209 || 5990.76 || 43681 || 16176.6 ||
 * Idaho || 52.07 || 221 || 2711.2849 || 48841 || 11507.47 ||
 * Illinois || 48.8 || 216 || 2381.44 || 46656 || 10540.8 ||
 * Indiana || 52.12 || 218 || 2716.4944 || 47524 || 11362.16 ||
 * Iowa || 49.97 || 221 || 2497.0009 || 48841 || 11043.37 ||
 * Kansas || 55.22 || 220 || 3049.2484 || 48400 || 12148.4 ||
 * Kentucky || 54.82 || 220 || 3005.2324 || 48400 || 12060.4 ||
 * Louisiana || 66.62 || 209 || 4438.2244 || 43681 || 13923.58 ||
 * Maine || 39 || 224 || 1521 || 50176 || 8736 ||
 * Maryland || 54.35 || 220 || 2953.9225 || 48400 || 11957 ||
 * Massachusetts || 51.4 || 231 || 2641.96 || 53361 || 11873.4 ||
 * Michigan || 49.5 || 218 || 2450.25 || 47524 || 10791 ||
 * Minnesota || 39.1 || 225 || 1528.81 || 50625 || 8797.5 ||
 * Mississippi || 63.55 || 204 || 4038.6025 || 41616 || 12964.2 ||
 * Missouri || 54.15 || 221 || 2932.2225 || 48841 || 11967.15 ||
 * Montana || 47.55 || 224 || 2261.0025 || 50176 || 10651.2 ||
 * Nebraska || 50.75 || 221 || 2575.5625 || 48841 || 11215.75 ||
 * Nevada || 68.22 || 207 || 4653.9684 || 42849 || 14121.54 ||
 * New Hampshire || 45.62 || 227 || 2081.1844 || 51529 || 10355.74 ||
 * New Jersey || 53.27 || 223 || 2837.6929 || 49729 || 11879.21 ||
 * New Mexico || 56.77 || 207 || 3222.8329 || 42849 || 11751.39 ||
 * New York || 47.3 || 222 || 2237.29 || 49284 || 10500.6 ||
 * North Carolina || 54.52 || 217 || 2972.4304 || 47089 || 11830.84 ||
 * North Dakota || 42.27 || 224 || 1786.7529 || 50176 || 9468.48 ||
 * Ohio || 49.35 || 214 || 2435.4225 || 45796 || 10560.9 ||
 * Oklahoma || 60.1 || 214 || 3612.01 || 45796 || 12861.4 ||
 * Oregon || 53.37 || 214 || 2848.3569 || 45796 || 11421.18 ||
 * Pennsylvania || 55.05 || 214 || 3030.5025 || 45796 || 11780.7 ||
 * Rhode Island || 50.9 || 216 || 2590.81 || 46656 || 10994.4 ||
 * South Carolina || 65 || 213 || 4225 || 45369 || 13845 ||
 * South Dakota || 45.17 || 223 || 2040.3289 || 49729 || 10072.91 ||
 * Tennessee || 57.8 || 214 || 3340.84 || 45796 || 12369.2 ||
 * Texas || 68.32 || 219 || 4667.6224 || 47961 || 14962.08 ||
 * Utah || 52.17 || 214 || 2721.7089 || 45796 || 11164.38 ||
 * Vermont || 44.95 || 227 || 2020.5025 || 51529 || 10203.65 ||
 * Virginia || 59.42 || 225 || 3530.7364 || 50625 || 13369.5 ||
 * Washington || 49.5 || 223 || 2450.25 || 49729 || 11038.5 ||
 * West Virginia || 54.17 || 214 || 2934.3889 || 45796 || 11592.38 ||
 * Wisconsin || 46.02 || 221 || 2117.8404 || 48841 || 10170.42 ||
 * Wyoming || 45.17 || 223 || 2040.3289 || 49729 || 10072.91 ||
 * **Sum:** || **2714.73** || **10895** || **151194.9201** || **2376073** || **589847.94** ||

Graphs:



Calculations:
Math: Correlation Coefficient : r= -0.5442 Line of Best Fit: y= -0.3486x + 256.246

Reading Correlation Coefficient : r= -0.6058 Line of Best Fit: y= -0.4452x + 241.1731

Conclusion: The analysis of the two variable data shows that there is a moderate (to weak) negative correlation between grade level and state temperature on a linear scale. The correlation shows that for both reading and math subjects hotter average temperatures do decrease student grade level. However it also shows that as the state temperature decreases the grade level increases inversely to the temperature. Therefore the belief that cold temperatures would affect grades in the same way as hot would was false.

Bibliography

//<span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">Climate Atlas of the United States // <span style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; border-collapse: collapse; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">. (2009, August 20). Retrieved December 6, 2009, from <span style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; border-collapse: collapse; color: #0000ff; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">__http://lwf.ncdc.noaa.gov/oa/about/cdrom/climatls2/info/atlasad.html__ <span style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; border-collapse: collapse; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">

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National Center of Educational Statistics. (n.d.). <span style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; border-collapse: collapse; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Courier,Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 24px;">//<span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">Nations Report Card Reading 2005 // <span style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; border-collapse: collapse; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 12px; line-height: 24px;">. Retrieved December 6, 2009, from <span style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; border-collapse: collapse; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">[] <span style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Courier,Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 24px;"> Public Schools Vs. Private Sc hools: New Study Says There Is No Difference. (2007, October 12). Retrieved November 7, 2009, from <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">[] <span style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; border-collapse: collapse; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 12px; line-height: 24px;">

Reppen, D. (n.d.). <span style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; border-collapse: collapse; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Courier,Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 24px;">//<span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">Governor Bush and Commissioner Winn Announce Results of 2005 National Assessment of Educational Progress // <span style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; border-collapse: collapse; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 12px; line-height: 24px;">. Retrieved December 6, 2009, from <span style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; border-collapse: collapse; color: #0000ff; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">__http://www.fldoe.org/news/2005/2005_10_19-2.asp__ <span style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; border-collapse: collapse; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;"><span style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Courier,Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 24px;">

Snyder, T., & Hoffman, C. (2001, January 26). <span style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; border-collapse: collapse;">//<span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">Digest of Education Statistics: 2000 // <span style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; border-collapse: collapse; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">. Retrieved December 6, 2009, from National Center for Education Statistics (NCES 2001034).

<span style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; border-collapse: collapse; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Courier,Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 24px;">//<span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">U.S. HCN Mean Average Temperature Data // <span style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; border-collapse: collapse; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">. (n.d.). Retrieved December 6, 2009, from <span style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; border-collapse: collapse; color: #0000ff; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">__http://cdiac.esd.ornl.gov/r3d/ushcn/statemean.html#FL__