Spurious Relationships

Description

Prompt: For this assignment, I’d like you to first visit the following website: http://tylervigen.com/spurious-correlations  (Links to an external site.)  The examples here are generated via a large data set that starts with choosing one variable and then the website will bring up the correlation coefficient of all the other variables. DO NOT USE ANY OF THE EXAMPLES ON THIS PAGE!!! You will be generating your own in the next section. The website contains some spurious correlations that are quite funny (i.e., people who drowned after falling out of a fishing boat and marriage rates in Kentucky (r = 0.95); anything involving Nicholas Cage).  Once you have looked at some of those examples,  generate three spurious correlations using http://tylervigen.com/discover  (Links to an external site.) , Be sure to save the unique permalink for each of your three correlations and cite them properly in your paper. You do not have to include graphs like those in the examples, but you can if you would like. After you’ve pick your three correlations, answer the following questions for EACH of the three correlations: Why is the relationship spurious? (That is to say, what are some possible rival causal factors what would explain this spurious relationship) How could these two variables be related? (Let’s pretend we’re the media and don’t know what correlations doesn’t equal causation, what are some ways one of your variables could be related to the other? Ridiculous theories are encouraged here) Make sure you find real world examples that could possible support the second part of the prompt, at least loosely speaking. Instructions:  Your response should be 1250-1500 words, in APA format, 12pt font, 1″ margins, Cover page (abstract not required), references page, etc. Make sure to use a .doc, docx, or rtf file format and attach the file when submitting. This assignment is due at the end of the week assigned by 1159pm. Please see the class schedule located in the course syllabus for specific dates. This assignment has a minimum of seven (7) required sources. While the three unique (peramlink) URLs for your correlations count, this means you need to find additional sources to add detail and support to your answers. Look for real world examples in the news, peer reviewed journals, etc.  Make sure you have three spurious correlations and answer this prompt fully or you will not receive a passing grade