Chapter 1

Question 1

What is descriptive statistics?

Answer 1

Describes and summarizes small dataset

• Results obtained represent the entire dataset
• Overall it describes sets of data

Question 2

What is inferential statistics?

Answer 2

Draw conclusions or make predictions about populations from the random samples

Question 3

What is Population?

Answer 3

All the objects that researchers want to describe or make inferences about

I.e. All the students in Kine 2050 represent a “population”

Question 4

What is meant by a “parameter?”

Answer 4

Characteristic of population

Question 5

What is Sample and what is the term for characteristic of sample?

Answer 5

• It is a sub-group of the population a researcher believes represents that entire population
• Characteristic of sample = statistic

A group of specific size is represented by a smaller “n” rather than “N” which represents the population

Question 6

What falls under the structure of data?

Answer 6

1. Observations ( = individuals or cases)
2. Variables = observations attitudes

Question 7

Quantitative variables include…?

Answer 7

1. Numerical Data - add, subtract, multiply and divide
2. Continuous - takes on any value within a given range
3. Discrete - only take certain values (e.g. # of children in a family)

Question 8

Qualitative variables include…?

Answer 8

1. Binary = Two categories (i.e, dead/alive, treatment/placebo)
2. More than two categories (i.e, hair colour - blonde, red-haired, brown, etc.)

Question 9

When a research paper says “P = 0.04” what is it?

Answer 9

Likelihood of difference when there isn’t one

Question 10

What does “%CI” mean?

Answer 10

How confident we are a population lands in a certain area

Question 11

What is Statistics?

Answer 11

The science of collection, organization, analysis & interpretation of DATA

Question 12

Why would data not be information?

Answer 12

It cannot be information unless it is interpreted by the researcher

Question 13

What is the purpose of data?

Answer 13

To get necessary information & knowledge

Question 14

What are the steps to discovery of knowledge?

Answer 14

1. Asking the right questions
2. Collecting useful data, which includes deciding how much is needed
3. Summarizing and analyzing the data with goal of answering the question(s)
4. Making decisions and generalization based on the observed data
5. Turning data and subsequent decisions into new knowledge

Question 15

What is Nominal Data?

Answer 15

Level of measurement that is mutually exclusive, not quantified, data in categories

Mutually exclusive - two events that can’t happening simulatenously

Question 16

What is ordinal data?

Answer 16

Data is ranked; (placing something as first, second, third)

Knowledge is not linear; placed at ranks so not the same

i.e, is A+ and B+ the same level, and is B+ and C+ the same level in terms of marks

Question 17

What is Interval Data?

Answer 17

Quantitative data; zero point is arbitrary (random) and therefore not proportional and it is equal units of measurement assigned

I.e, Temperatue can be below 0 degrees but tis does not mean the absense, it can be freezing or the temperature water freezes at. It is assigned to an attribute

Question 18

What is Ratio Data?

Answer 18

• Same as interval (quantitative data) but the zero is absolute; indicates absence of variable
• Direct comparison can be made

E.g, - Age, distance, weight, time