Basics Flashcards
What is the dependent variable
The outcome variable or result of experimentation (y)
What is the independent variable
The variable which is measured or controlled by the researcher (x)
What is the continuous variable
data with an infinite number of potential values. ex. Temperature…98 vs 98.8 vs 98.865
What is probability
the likelihood that something will occur
What is a statistic
an estimate generated from a sample
What is a parameter
the measured characteristic of a population
What is a quantitative measurement
A numerical measurement
What is a qualitative measurement
A descriptive or characterization measurement
What is a categorical or discrete variable
A measurement that is restricted to a specific value (exclusive) which does not have fractional or in-between values and is usually qualitative.
What is nominal data
Data which indicates a difference between the two answers where only one answer may be selected (ex. Named data, selection of male or female)
What is ordinal data
Rank ordered data only one of which may be selected (ex. high, medium, or low confidence/feeling)
What is interval data
Exclusive and rank-ordered data which has numerically equal intervals. (ex. Fahrenheit temperature)
What is ratio data
exclusive and rank-ordered with equal intervals and a point at which the variable is absent (ex. blood pressure, which can be absent indicating a need for CPR!) The highest level of measurement.
What is frequency distribution
a gathering of the responses collected from a sample of variables into a table showing the occurrence of each response
What is relative frequency
the number of times an observation occurs divided by the total number of observations ex patients that stayed in the hospital 3 days = 7 Total number of patients studied = 50 7/50 * 100= relative frequency of 14%
What is cumulative frequency
a list of the number of observations with a value less than the maximum value
What is cumulative relative frequency
a cumulative frequency and converted to a percentage. of the total number of observations.
What is grouped frequency
a frequency distribution with distinct intervals or groups created to simplify data.
What is cumulative percentage
the percentage of observations with a value less than the maximum value of the variable interval (cumulative frequency presented as a percentage of the whole)
What is a percentile
the division of a dataset into 100 equal parts
What is a quartile
the division of a dataset into four equal parts
The formula for calculating percentiles in an ordered data set
Pthobs = (n + 1) x y/100
Pthobs = the number of observations at the percentile for which you are looking
n = the number of observations in your data set
y = the percentile your looking at.
