This article provides clear and practical guidelines for researchers seeking to use national secondary datasets to conduct evidence-based research. Drawing from our own experiences, we discuss a six-step research process model (Bryan et al., 2010, 2017) to help researchers navigate the use of these datasets. We present examples from the school…

As the use of data in courses that incorporate statistical methods has become more prevalent, so has the need for tools for working with such data, including those for data creation and adjustment. While numerous tools exist that support faculty who teach statistical methods, many are focused on data analysis or theoretical concepts, and there…

In today's data-driven and data-informed educational landscape, leaders face increasing pressure to make decisions and present results based on what appear to be comprehensive statistical analyses. However, the ethical implications of these responsibilities can be complex, particularly when statistical results carry the potential to be…

This paper provides introductory statistics instructors with the capacity to use engaging National Basketball Association (NBA) data within a web application to either strengthen students' understanding or introduce the concept of variance and one-way analysis of variance. Using engaging data within the classroom provides context to data that…

'QuantCrit' (Quantitative Critical Race Theory) is a rapidly developing approach that seeks to challenge and improve the use of statistical data in social research by applying the insights of Critical Race Theory. As originally formulated, QuantCrit rests on five principles; 1) the centrality of racism; 2) numbers are not neutral; 3) categories…

The COVID epidemic has provided an excellent example of the need to call on a wide variety of statistical tools to address a global problem, and can give students insights into some of the dimensions of data science. Here, we describe some of the characteristics of data that students encounter as citizens. We set out some teaching ideas, which…

The resources needed to conduct high-quality and large-scale survey research are often beyond the reach of institutional researchers and higher education analysts. However, the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) provides many national student surveys that researchers can utilize. We outline four NCES studies--the High School…