Midterm Flashcards
Statistic
A numerical measurement describing some characteristic of a sample
Parameter
A numerical measurement describing some characteristic of a population
Population
The complete collection of all elements or subjects (scores, people, measurements, and so on) to be studied
Census
The collection of data from EVERY element in a population
Sample
A subcollection of elements drawn from a population
Discrete data
Result when a number of possible values is either a finite number or a “countable” number (dealing with counts)
Continuous data
Result from infinitely many possible values that correspond to some continuous scale that covers a range of values without gaps, interruptions, or jumps (often times has units of measure attached)
Nominal
Characterized by data that consist of names, labels, or categories only
Ordinal
Can be arrange in some order, but the difference is between the data values either cannot be determined or are meaningless
Interval
Similar to the ordinal level, but the difference between any two data values is meaningful. However, there is no natural zero starting point (where none of the quantity is present)
Ratio
Similar to the interval, but has a natural zero starting point ( where zero indicates none of the quantity is present)
Observational study
Observe and measure specific characteristics, but we don’t attempt to modify the subject being studied
Experiment
A treatment is applied to observe it’s effect on the subjects
Simulation
Mathematical or physical model used to reproduce a situation
Survey
Investigation of characteristics of a population
Placebo
A faux treatment looks like the real treatment
Placebo effect
Occurs when an untreated subject incorrectly believes that he/she is receiving a treatment and reports an improvement in symptoms
Blinding
A technique in which the subject doesn’t know whether he/she is receiving a treatment or placebo
Single blind
The researcher knew which subject received which treatment, but the subjects did not know
Double blind
Neither the researcher nor the subject knows who received a placebo it treatment
Block
A group of subjects (or experimental units) that are similar to test the effectiveness of one or more treatments
Randomized design
This is a way to assign subjects to block through Radom selection
Controlled design
Experimental units are carefully chosen so that the subject in each block are similar in the ways that are important
Confounding
Occurs in an experiment when the effect from two or more variables cannot be distinguished from each other
Sample size
- make sure your sample size is large enough, however, an extremely large sample is not necessarily a good sample
- make sure the sample is large enough to see the true nature of the effects
Replication
Helps to confirm results by repeating the experiment
Systematic sampling
Randomly select a starting point through a random number generator and take every kth subject of the population
- Identify and define the pop.
- Determine sample size
- list all members or pop.
- Determine k by dividing the number of members in the pop by the desired sample size (pop/sample size =every kth person)
- Choose a random starting point in the pop list
- Starting at that point in the pop., select every kth name on the list until the desired sample size is met
- if the end of the Los is reached before the desired sample size is drawn, go to the top of the list and continue
Convenience sample
A researcher chooses a sample that is convenient or easy for them to access
Sampling error
The difference between a sample result and the true population result; such as an error result from chance sample fluctuations
Non-sampling error
Occurs when the sample data are incorrectly collected recorded, or analyzed (uh as selecting a biased sample, using a defective measurement instrument, or copying the data incorrectly)
Quantitative data
Values that answer questions about the quantity or amount (with units) of what is being measured
Categorical data
(Qualitative data) can be separated into different categories that are often distinguished by some nonnumeric characteristic
Multistage samples
Sampling schemes that combine several methods
Randomization
Collect data in an appropriate way, otherwise our data are useless
Random sample
Members of a population are selected in a way that each has an equal chance of being selected
Simple random sample (SRS)
Subjects are selected in a way that every possible sample size n has the same chance of being chosen
- Identify and define the pop.
- Determine the sample size
- List all members of the pop.
- assign each member of the pop. A consecutive number from zero to the desired sample size
- Select an arbitrary starting number from the random number table
- look for the subject who was assigned that number. If there is a subject with that assigned number, they are in the sample
- Look to the net number in the random number table and repeat steps 6 and 7 until the appropriate number of participants has been selected
Cluster sampling
First divide the population area into sections (clusters) , then randomly select some of those clusters, and then choose all members from those selected clusters
- Identify and determine the pop.
- determine the sample size
- Identify and define a cluster
- List all clusters
- Estimate the average number of clusters needed
- Determine that desired number of clusters
- Choose the desired number of clusters using the simple random sampling technique
- All pop. Members in the included cluster are part of the sample
Stratified sampling
We subdivide the pop. into at least two different subgroups (or strata) that share the same characteristics ( such as age or gender), then draw a sample from each stratum
- identify and define the pop.
- determine the sample size
- Identify variable and strata for which equal representation is desired
- Classify all members of the population as a member of one strata
- Choose the desired number of subjects from each strata using the simple random sampling technique
Descriptive statistics
To summarize or describe the important characteristics of a set if data (the results of data)
Inferential statistics
We use these methods when we use sample data to make inferences or generalizations about a populations
When describing, exploring, and comparing quantitative data sets, the following characteristics of data are usually most important
- Shape
- Center
- Spread
Frequency distribution
List classes (or categories) of values, along with frequencies (or counts) of the number of values that fall into each class
Lower class limits
The smallest numbers that belong to different classes
Upper class limits
The larger numbers that belong to different classes
Class boundaries
The numbers used to separate classes, but without the gaps created by class limits
- find the size of the gap between the upper limit of one class and lower limit of the next
- add half the amount if each upper class limit to find the upper class boundaries
- subtract half of that out from each lower class limit to find the lower class boundaries
Class midpoints
Midpoints of the classes found by adding the lower and upper class limits if each class an dividing by 2
Class width
The difference between two consecutive lower class limits