Biostatistics

Question 1

data

Answer 1

the raw material that researchers use for statistical analysis

Question 2

biostatistics

Answer 2

a field of study that focuses on (1) the collection and analysis of medical and biological data and (2) the drawing of inferences about a collection of medical and biological data when only a part of the data is available for analysis

Question 3

sources of data

Answer 3

Data for statistical analysis may be obtained from one or more of the following sources:
Routinely kept records
Surveys
Experiments
External sources

Question 4

variable

Answer 4

a characteristic that takes on different values for different possessors

Question 5

quantitative variable

Answer 5

a variable whose amount can be measured (i.e. height)

Question 6

qualitative variable

Answer 6

a variable whose attributes can be measured (i.e. gender)

Question 7

random variable

Answer 7

when the values are determined by random factors and cannot be exactly predicted in advance (i.e. adult height cannot be exactly predicted at birth)

Question 8

discrete random variable

Answer 8

characterized by interruptions or gaps in its values (i.e. values are absent between particular values)

Question 9

continuous random variable

Answer 9

characterized by no interruptions or gaps in its values, or it can assume any value within an interval between an two of its values

Question 10

population

Answer 10

includes every member of all entities that one is interested in at a particular time

Question 11

sample

Answer 11

a collection of entities that are part of a population

Question 12

simple random sample

Answer 12

a sample selected from a population such that every possible sample of the same size has the same chance of being drawn