This course focuses on the essential tasks involved in cleaning and preparing survey data for accurate analysis. Key topics include handling missing values, checking data integrity, removing outliers, and coding responses to ensure reliability. Participants will also explore common data challenges and weighting techniques to ensure that the sample accurately reflects the population.

The course will also address how to construct scales and identify latent variables, which are essential for capturing complex constructs in social science research. Additionally, participants will evaluate the reliability and validity of the scales they’ve constructed. The course will cover content, construct, and criterion validity, helping ensure that surveys measure what they are intended to measure.