ch 2- recording and analysing data, drawing and communicating conclusions

Question 1

primary data

Answer 1

data collected through first hand research for an intended purpose

Question 2

secondary data

Answer 2

data obtained second hand through research conducted by another person for another purpose

Question 3

qualitative data

Answer 3

data that describes characteristics and qualities

Question 4

quantitative data

Answer 4

data that includes measurable values and quantities and can be compared on a numerical scale

Question 5

percentage

Answer 5

a part of a whole, a proportion out of 100

Question 6

percentage change

Answer 6

a calculation of the degree of change in a value over time

Question 7

measures of central tendency

Answer 7

category of statistics that describes the central value of a set of data

Question 8

mean

Answer 8

a statistic that is the average value of a set of data

Question 9

median

Answer 9

the middle value in an ordered set of data

Question 10

mode

Answer 10

value that occurs most frequently within a set of data

Question 11

measures of variability

Answer 11

category of statistics that describe the distribution of data

Question 12

standard deviation

Answer 12

spread of the data around the mean

Question 13

tables

Answer 13

a way to display data and or summarise statistics clearly

Question 14

bar charts

Answer 14

a way to display data with discrete categories

Question 15

line graph

Answer 15

a way to display numerical and continuous data

Question 16

true value

Answer 16

the true value or range of values that would be found if the quantity could be measured perfectly

Question 17

accuracy

Answer 17

how close a measurement is to the true value of the quantity being measured

Question 18

precision

Answer 18

how close a set of measurement values agree with each other

Question 19

repeatability

Answer 19

the closeness of the agreement between successive measurements of the same quantity, under the same conditions

Question 20

reproducability

Answer 20

the closeness of the agreement between measurements of the same quantity, carried out under different conditions

Question 21

validity

Answer 21

whether a measurement measures what is supposed to measure

Question 22

internal validity

Answer 22

whether a study investigates what it sets out to or what it claims to investigate

Question 23

external validity

Answer 23

whether the results of research can be applied to similar individuals in a different setting

Question 24

personal errors

Answer 24

a mistake, miscalculation or observer error made when conducting research

Question 25

measurement error

Answer 25

the difference between the measured and the true value

Question 26

systematic error

Answer 26

an error that causes readings to differ from the true value by a consistent amount each time a measurement is made.

Question 27

random error

Answer 27

an error that creates unpredictable variations in the measurement process and results in a spread of readings

Question 28

uncertainty

Answer 28

a lack of exact knowledge of the value being measured

Question 29

contradictory data

Answer 29

data that appears incorrect

Question 30

incomplete data

Answer 30

data that has elements missing

Question 31

outliers

Answer 31

a value that lies a long way from other results

Question 32

opinion

Answer 32

a judgement that is not necessarily based on proof

Question 33

anecdote

Answer 33

a short personal account of an event

Question 34

evidence

Answer 34

a verified fact

Question 35

conclusion

Answer 35

a statement about the findings of a study which addresses the aim and the hypothesis

Question 36

limitations of conclusions

Answer 36

the faults or flaws in the design of an investigation design that may limit the conclusions of that investigation

Question 37

implications

Answer 37

the impact a study might have on the population, relevant theory and future research

Question 38

scientific report

Answer 38

report outlining why and how some research was conducted, with an analysis of the findings

Question 39

abstract

Answer 39

a section of a scientific report that is a concise summary of the whole investigation

Question 40

intro section

Answer 40

provides an overview of what the investigation is trying to achieve and why it is important

Question 41

methodology

Answer 41

describes the participants, materials and procedures used in the study

Question 42

results

Answer 42

outlines the evidence and findings of the study

Question 43

discussion

Answer 43

analyses the findings and concludes the research