Problem ID and Data Sets.

This is the first step in developing your Final Project. Given the data sites you have explored, identify a problem or question you want to explore and list the data files that you are thinking of using. For Example,

• Do levels of salaries reflect success in win-loss records?
• What is happening to male participation in both higher education enrollment and the labor force?
• How, and where, have domestic terrorist activities changed?

Then identify data sources/sets that you may use.

NOTE: If you do comparisons across states you will have to normalize the data. This means picking a population metric, like millions or 100-thousands. Divide the state population by millions or 100-thousands to get the new units. Then divide the number of cases by the million-unit or 100-thousand unit of each state to get cases per million or cases per 100-thousand. This ensures that you are not comparing raw numbers but rates, which are a more accurate reflection of the activity.

This will be an iterative process and I will work with you to get your story and your datasets. The Goal is to have the question and data decided before working on the outline.

Here is a Templatefor framing the Problem Statement.