Biostats Flashcards
What is the research question?
a
What is a population?
the largest collection of entities such as persons, animals, or cells for which we have an interest at a particular time
What is a parameter?
A descriptive measure computer from the datain a population. Usually, an unknown true value represented by a greek letter
What is a sample?
a subset or fraction of the population. We observe characteristics from the sample to apply to the population
What is a statistic?
A descriptive measure computer from data in a sample. Usually, not represented by greek letters. May have a line over it.
What is a simple random sample?
A sample that is selected so that every unit in the population has an equal chance of being included. In a simple random sample there are two properties:
- unbiased: each unit has same chance of being chosen
- independence: selection of one unit has no influence on selection of other units.
What is a cluster sample?
group the population into small clusters and draw a simple random sample of clusters. May be good if traveling between randomly sampled units is high.
What is a systematic sample
start with a randomly chosen unit and select every kth unit thereafter
What is a stratified sample?
Divide population units into homogeneous groups and draw a simple random sample from each group
What is a variable?
A characteristic that can take on different values in different people, animals, or things.
What is a constant?
A measurement that stays the same from observation to observation
What are the types of variables?
qualitative, quantitative, continuous, categorical, discrete, dichotomous
What is a qualitative varialbe?
categorized characteristics. This is all about measuring attributes.
What is a quantitative variable?
measurements that convey information regarding amounts. Can be either discrete or continuous
What is a continuous varialbe?
Quantitative variable that does not possess gaps or interruptions characteristic of a discrete random variable. Infinite number of values.
What is a categorical variable?
observations that have the same attributes are in the same category. A qualitative variable
What is a discrete variable?
A variable characterized by gaps or interruptions in the values that it can assume. Typically, they are countable.
What is a dichotomous variable?
type of categorical variable that can take only one of two values.
What are the levels of measurement?
nominal variables, ordinal variables, interval variables, ratio variables
What is a nominal level of measurement?
a qualitative level of measurement. Naming observations or classifying them into various mutually exclusive and collectively exhaustive categories. There is no natural ordering here.
What is an ordinal level of measurement?
a qualitative level of measurement in which observations are not only different from category to category but can be ranked in some order.
What is an interval level of measurement?
a quantitative level of measurement in which the distance between any two measurements is known but there is no true zero point.
What is a ratiolevel of measurement?
a quantitative level of measurement in which equality of ratios as well as equality of intervals may be determined. there is a true zero value. Zero point represents an absolute absence of the characteristic being measured.
What is a mean?
average. As a parameter - population mean. Can also have a sample mean. The mean is unique (there is only one). It is also simple. Extreme values can influence the mean so that it is not a good measure of central tendency. Mu is the mean of the population which can be inferred if the sample mean is unbiased.
What is the median?
the middle value. divides the set into two equal parts. It is unique, simple, and not as drastically affected by extreme values as the mean
What is the mode?
The most common value in the set. May not be a mode or may be more than one. May be useful for qualitative data
What is a quartile?
you know what this is. to calculate 25th percentile, do (n+1)/4. 50th percentile = 2(n+1)/4. The 50th percentile is called the median.
What is interquartile range?
this is from 25th percentile to 75th percentile. reflects the variability of the middle 50% of the obsrvations
What is variance?
Allows us to measure the dispersion relative to the scatter of the values about their mean. Variability is not the same. Variability tell us how much the scores differ from one another, while variance tell us how much they differ from the mean.
What is a standard deviation?
the square root of the variance. You do this to put the variance results back in the original scale.
What is the range?
the difference between minimum and maximum. Poor measure of dispersion as it only takes into account two values
What is the coefficient of variation?
Relative variation instead of absolute variation. Ratio of standard deviation to the mean.
What is an ordered array?
Listing of the values of a collection (either population or sample) in an order of magnitude from smallest to largest. Can easily determine min, max, range
What is the frequency distribution table?
listing of relative frequencies of each value as a percentage. usually, lists frequency, relative frequency, cumulative frequency, cumulative frequency distribution
What is a bar chart and how do you make it?
Display qualitative data. Used for nominal and ordinal data.
What is a histogram and what are its components?
Displays frequency distribution. Used for quantitative data. The bars are drawn touching each other to indicate data are continuous. Ratio/interval data are categorized. This is similar to a bar chart that is used for categorical data.
What is a frequency polygon and what are its components?
a
What is a box-and-whisker plot and how do you make it?
- put varialb eof interest on horizontal axis
- draw a box - one end is Q1 and the other is Q3.
- divide box at Q2.
- Draw whisker from Q1 to lowest value
- Draw whiser from Q3 to highest value
- add a star for the mean.
What is a stem and leaf plot and how do you make it?
This helps you order data from min to max. Stem = all but last digit of data point. Leaf = last digit of data point
What is a scatter plot and how do you make it?
If you have two continuous variables, then you can use this to see the relationship.
What is the standard error?
a
What is skewness and what are the types and what do they mean?
There is a tail. If the longer tail points to positive numbers, then it is positively skewed. If the longer tail pints to negative numbers, then it is negative skewed.
What is symmetry and how do you determine it is there?
It can be divided into two halves that are mirror images of each other.
What are random variables?
variables that cannot be predicted in advance due to chance factors. ex = adult height for a newborn baby.
What is a discrete random variable?
a random variable that is discrete. Has a countable number of possible outcomes
What is a continuous random variable?
a random varialbe that is continuous. can assume any value on a continuous segment of the real number line
What is sample space?
A listing of all the possible outcomes. The fundamental counting principle allows us to figure out how many are in the sample space without having to count them all.
What is an experiment when we talk in terms of probability?
a