Chapter 1- Intro to Statistics: Lecture Material Flashcards

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1
Q

variables

A

characteristic that can change or take on different values, must be able to vary

  • most research begins with a general question about the relationship between two variables for a specific group
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2
Q

Population

A

An entire group of individuals

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3
Q

Sample

A
  • Samples are selected to represent the population, because normally populations are too large to examine the entire group
  • The goal is to use results from the sample to answer questions about the population
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4
Q

inferential statistics

A

use sample data to draw general conclusions (inferences) about populations

defining and measuring sampling error is a large part of inferential statistics

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5
Q

descriptive statistics

A
  • methods for organizing and summarizing data
  • Tables or graphs used to organize data
  • Descriptive values used to summarize data
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6
Q

parameter

A
  • descriptive value for a population
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7
Q

statistic

A

descriptive value for a sample

sample statistics are not perfect representatives of pop parameters

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8
Q

Sampling error

A

the discrepancy between a sample statistic and its population parameter

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9
Q

data

A
  • goal of statistics is to help researches organize and interpret data
  • measurements obtained in research are called data
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10
Q

discrete variables

A
  • consist of indivisible categories

ex. dice roll, football game points

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11
Q

continuous variables

A

are infinitely divisible into any unit the researcher chooses

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12
Q

nominal scale

A
  • unordered set of categories identified by name only
  • only determination you can make is whether two individuals are the same or different on that variable
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13
Q

ordinal scale

A
  • ordered set of categories
  • can tell the direction of difference between two individuals

ex. class rank, placing in a race

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14
Q

interval scale

A
  • an ordered series of equal sized categories
  • can identify the direction and magnitude of differences
  • zero point is arbitrary

ex. temperature in degrees F or degrees C

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15
Q

ratio scale

A
  • interval scale where a value of zero indicates none of the thing
  • identifies direction and magnitude of difference

ex. temperature in Kelvin

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16
Q

correlation

A
  • goal is to determine strength and direction of the relationship between two variables
  • uses observation of two variables as they exist naturally
  • correlation does not equal causation
17
Q

experiments

A
  • examine the relationship between 2 or more variables by changing one variable and observing the effects on the other variable

can only switch one variable at a time, ideally all other variables are controlled to prevent them from influencing the results

18
Q

nonexperimental studies

A
  • nonexperimental studies are similar to experiments because they also compare groups of scores
  • they do not use a manipulated variable to differentiate between groups
  • the independent variable is a pre-existing participant variable (male/female, before/after)
  • no manipulations= no casual determinations (you cannot control for competing explanations of findings)

ex. relationship quality in couples making the transition into parenthoo

19
Q

PEMDAS

A

summation w sigma notation comes before other addition and subtraction