Stage #1: PLANNING:

This is where most of the actual thinking is done.  Here you should determine what kind of data is to be collected and how it is to be collected.  Here you should also consider what specific analyses will be done in order to assure that data gathered

are suitable for what you intend to do.  As part of the planning phase, it must be determined what tests and estimates are appropriate to address the goal of the

experiment.  The specific form of the statistics used for testing and estimation

usually depends on the distributional characteristics of the data.  At this point you

should determine precisely what population quantities you wish to estimate and what

hypotheses you wish to test.  If questionnaires are involved, they should be designed

and written at this stage.  If quantitative measurements are to be taken, you should

know exactly what is to be measured and how the measurements will be taken.  It is

not easy to collect a truly randon sample from a target population.  But all statistical

procedures we learn require that the data are a random sample.  Remember that all population elements must have an equal chance of being included in the sample. 

You should meet with your instructor at least once to present your ideas on the project during this stage. You must choose your topic, plan your study, and have it

approved by your instructorduring this stage.