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VIII. Social Institutions
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Exploring Data
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Religious Denominations in the United States
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Theme 2 Scientific Basis of Sociology, Social Institutions
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DescriptionAn exploration of some of the data in the Association of Religion Data Archives. This exercise shows how you can compare the membership in various religious denominations in your zip code with national figures.
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Learning Goals
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1. To acquaint you with a terrific source of data on various religious denominations in various regions of the United States.
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2. To show how you need to compute and compare the percentage of people in each sub-group rather than the absolute numbers, when you compare numbers based on different sized groups of people.
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ActionsTo find out the distribution of various religious denominations in your area, go to: The Association of Religion Data Archives and enter your zip code. This could be your home zip code or the zip code of your school. Then click on the GO button. The next page will give you the numbers of congregational "adherents," which includes all full members, their children, and others who regularly attend services. You can compare the numbers of adherents in your area with national figures. Remember, when you compare numbers on differently sized groupings of people you need to compute and compare the percentage of people in each sub-group rather than the absolute numbers.Back to top
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More InformationThere are many more questions you could investigate using this database.Back to top
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Creator/SourceCaroline Hodges Persell. New York University. 2008.