3 research outputs found
Land Use and First Birth Timing in an Agricultural Setting
The dramatic changes in the earth’s landscape have prompted increased
interest in the links between population, land use, and land cover. Previous research
emphasized the notion of population pressure (population pressure increases
demands on natural resources causing changes in land use), overlooking the
potentially important effects of changes in land use on humans. Using multiple data
sets from the Chitwan Valley Family Study in Nepal, we test competing hypotheses
about the impact of land use on first birth timing. We argue that while agricultural
land should encourage early childbearing, land area devoted to public infrastructure
should discourage it. The results show that individuals from neighborhoods with
larger proportions of land under agriculture experienced first birth at rates higher
than those from neighborhoods with smaller proportions. On the other hand, individuals
from neighborhoods with larger proportions of land under public
infrastructure experienced first birth at rates lower than those from neighborhoods
with smaller proportions. However, the effects of public infrastructure are not as
strong as the land area devoted to agriculture.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/60429/1/Ghimire Hoelter 2007 (2).pd
Using ICPSR Resources to Teach Sociology
The focus on quantitative literacy has been increasingly outside the realm of
mathematics. The social sciences are well suited to including quantitative elements
throughout the curriculum but doing so can mean challenges in preparation and presentation of material for instructors and increased anxiety for students. This paper describes tools and resources available through the Interuniversity
Consortium for Political and Social Research (ICPSR) that will aid students and instructors engaging in quantitative literacy across the curriculum. The Online Learning Center is a source of empirical activities aimed at undergraduates in lower-division substantive courses and Exploring Data through Research Literature presents an alternative to traditional research
methods assignments. Searching and browsing tools, archive structures, and extended online-analysis tools make it easier for students in upper-division undergraduate and graduate courses to engage in exercises that increase quantitative literacy, and paper competitions reward them for doing so.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/60430/1/Hoelter et al TS 2008 (2).pd