Resource Library

This scatterplot lets users plot a number of demographic variables and see the log transformation of those variables for numerous countries and income groups. Users can also see the information for any year from 1975 to 2004.

As discussed, the murder rates for Blacks in the United States are substantially higher than those for Whites, with Latino murder rates falling in the middle. These differences have existed throughout the 20th and into the 21st century and, with few exceptions, are found in different sections of the United States. Although biological and genetic explanations for racial differences in crime rates, including murder, have been discredited and are no longer accepted by most criminologists, both cultural and structural theories are widespread in the literature on crime and violence. It is also important to remember that Latino is an ethnic rather than a racial classification. The point of this exercise is to examine differences in selected structural positions of Blacks, Whites and Latinos in the United States that may help explain long-standing differences in their murder rates.

This applet allows users to run experiments such as Ball and Urn, Buffon's Needle, Craps, Monty Hall, and many more. Select an experiment from the drop down menu and click "About" to read its description. Then, set the parameter values. Set the sample size using the "Update" box and the number of samples using the "Stop" box. The single arrow button takes one sample and the double arrow button takes the number of samples selected. Graphs of the theoretical and empirical distributions are shown. Requires JAVA

The textbook for this course discusses cross-cultural variations in household structure, as well as changes across time in household structure in the United States. The purpose of this exercise is to examine variations in household structure in the United States according to race and historical period. By the end of the exercise students should have a better appreciation of the fact that household structure in the U.S. is very fluid and that changes over time in household structure have not progressed uniformly for all race groups.

This applet allows users to play several probability games like Monty Hall, Gambler's Ruin, Galton's Board, etc. Select a game from the drop down menu and click "About" to read its background. Users can manipulate the parameters for each game. Graphs of the theoretical and empirical distributions are shown. Requires JAVA.

In this module you will explore some of the impacts of this immigration by examining the characteristics of the foreign-born population, comparing these characteristics to those of the native born population. You will get a chance to explore where immigrants come from, how the composition of the immigrant population has changed, where immigrants settle, and what they do once they get here. Most importantly, you will have the opportunity to test some key hypotheses drawn from the most popular theory used to explain the incorporation of immigrants into the American social and economic mainstream.

This applet generates a histogram for two provided datasets, or by clicking "Edit Data", users can input their own data. Users can also manipulate the axes and bin width.

In this module you will have the opportunity to explore the frequency of different types of residential moves carried out by Americans. You will examine some of the basic determinants of residential mobility by looking at variations in different types of mobility by age, marital status, education, and housing tenure. Finally, you will have an opportunity to test hypotheses, drawn from a popular theoretical perspective, about racial differences in residential mobility.

This applet generates dotplots for different data sets and allows users to guess the location of various measures of center and spread. Clicking "Resample" produces a dotplot of random data generated by the applet. A dotplot of user-input data can be generated by clicking "Edit Data" and typing or copy and pasting the data in the textbox. To guess the mean, median, standard deviation, and interquartile range (IQR) users check the "Guess Mean/Median", "Guess Deviation", or "Guess IQR" box and slide the relevant marker along the horizontal axis. When "Guess Deviation" is selected, users can also select "Show Percentages" to display the percentage of data points within the user's current guess for standard deviation. Clicking "Show Actual" displays the actual position of the selected measure on the dotplot. Clicking on an individual data point shows its value. Users can edit the data under "Edit Data" or by clicking and dragging the data points on the graph.

How are earnings determined? Why do some people earn more than others? Does a better job necessarily mean a better salary? In this module, students will attempt to answer these questions and many others by examining factors such as education and occupation in terms of the role they play in determining earnings. Students will also look at the earnings of whites and compare them to the earnings of blacks, Latinos, and Asians. Another consideration will center on the effect of gender. Finally, students will turn their attention to the age of workers in terms what role it plays in determing earnings. Aside from earnings, students will also take a brief look at poverty with respect to the effect race-ethnicity and family structure has on creating and sustaining it.