Module 4

Question 1

What are statistics?

Answer 1

A subfield of math useful for collecting, analyzing, interpreting, and presenting data

Question 2

What is the MAIN purpose of statistics?

Answer 2

Description and inference

Question 3

What is description in relation to statistics?

Answer 3

Using statistics to describe and summarize a set of data

Question 4

What is inference in relation to statistics?

Answer 4

Using statistics to infer from a sample to a population

Question 5

What are the three sub-purposes of statistics?

Answer 5

1. Describing data
2. Describing relationships among variables
3. Identifying differences among/between groups

Question 6

How can you classify variables in statistics?

Answer 6

1. Independent/dependant variables
2. Level of management

Question 7

What are the four levels of measurement in statistics?

Answer 7

1. Nominal
2. Ordinal
3. Interval
4. Ratio

Question 8

What are nominal variables? Give examples.

Answer 8

Non-numerical measures are labeled by a name or category
Ex: Sex and Year in School

Question 9

Explain the rules of nominal variables.

Answer 9

1. You cannot say one variable is better than the other
2. Nominal variables will be used like independent variables (but we are not manipulating them)

Question 10

What are ordinal variables? Give examples.

Answer 10

Non-numerical measures that are labeled by a name and placed in a specific order
Ex: Likert Scale ( A, SA, N, SD, D )

Question 11

What are interval variables? Give examples.

Answer 11

Variables that have equal intervals between points, but there is no true zero.
Ex: Temperature, Knowledge

Question 12

What are ratio variables? Give examples.

Answer 12

Variables that have equal intervals between points, but there is a true zero.
Ex: Body Weight, Money

Question 13

What are descriptive statistics?

Answer 13

Statistics that describe your data

Question 14

What are the two common measures of descriptive statistics?

Answer 14

1. Central Tendency
2. Variability

Question 15

What is central tendency?

Answer 15

When data clusters around a single point

Question 16

What is variability?

Answer 16

When data is spread out

Question 17

What are the measures of central tendency?

Answer 17

Mean, median, and mode

Question 18

What are the measures of variability?

Answer 18

Range and standard deviation

Question 19

What is range?

Answer 19

The difference between the highest and lowest scores in the data set

Question 20

What is standard deviation?

Answer 20

The estimate of the spread of scores around the mean

Question 21

True or False?
You can report the mean alone.

Answer 21

False, you must ALWAYS report the standard deviation with a mean.

Question 22

What is a normal curve?

Answer 22

A theoretical distribution of scores to help understand standard deviation

Question 23

What are the characteristics of a normal curve?

Answer 23

1. Symmetrical
2. The mean, median, and mode are equal
3. You can make probability statements

Question 24

What are the probability statements you can make about a normal curve?

Answer 24

• 68% = 1 SD of mean
• 95% = 2 SD of mean
• 99% = 3 SD of mean

Question 25

What is skewness?

Answer 25

An indication of the direction of the tail of the curve

Question 26

What is a positive skew?

Answer 26

The tail of the curve goes to the right

Question 27

What is a negative skew?

Answer 27

The tail of the skew goes to the left

Question 28

What is kurtosis?

Answer 28

Indication of the shape of the curve

Question 29

What are leptokurtic distributions?

Answer 29

1. Positive kurtosis
2. More peaked and skinny

Question 30

What are platykurtic distributions?

Answer 30

1. Negative kurtosis
2. Less peaked and wide