Chapter 17 Flashcards
Cases
(units of analysis) information the rows represent
Data
information that must be prepared for analysis, analyzed, and interpreted
Central Tendency
We would like to find a single value that is in some sense the most typical or representative of all the observed values.
Codebook
a record that is essential to guarantee that in the future the coded data can be interpreted.
Command Files (Syntax Files)
During this era, the user wrote programs in the language of the software being used that were executed by the computer. These programs are referred to as command files, or in the case of SPSS, syntax files. When properly written, command files produce output.
Data Analysis
Researchers arrange and portray the data in ways that help detect patterns or problems, explore associations that exist in the data, and generally see if the data are consistent with their hypotheses and theories.
Data Management
activities concerned with preparing data for analysis are collectively referred to as data management.
Data Matrix
a configuration of students and information about them. (see pg.425 for more info)
Data Set
set of information that is collected in a study
Descriptive Statistics
Numbers that describe the difference characteristics of a distribution of scores on a variable
Disadvantage of Mean
It is relatively less robust than the median, that is, the mean is affected more than the median by relatively extreme values, or outliers, in a distribution of data.
Ecological Fallacy
It is inappropriate to assume, on the basis of these group-level data, that the individuals within the counties necessarily behave in a way that is analogous to the way their counties behave.
Errors of Generalization
often occur when the unit of analysis is not at the same level as the unit to which we seek to generalize
Frequency Distribution
“The 3rd column of Table X adds up the frequencies as we proceed from the lowest to the highest values; the last number in this column must be the total number of states from which we have data. When the data are sorted, counted, and displayed in this way, the result is a frequency distribution”
Output
reviews the commands that were executed, and flags any programming errors or inconsistencies, and most importantly, includes the results from execution of the requested analysis
Robust
(the mean is relatively less robust than the median) aka the mean is affected more than the median by relatively extreme values, or outliers, in a distribution of data
Skewness
whether or not a distribution has an especially long tail in one direction or another
Statistically Independent
the data from one case should not influence or have been influenced by the data from another case.
Stem & Leaf Diagram
p.441 for visual and more info
System File
taking data and converting them to a file on which the program can operate and print the results
Units of Analysis (Cases)
The rows represent the units of analysis, which in this instance are individuals whom we have interviewed.
Variance
the statistic we compute to estimate the variability of data around the mean
