Test 1

Question 1

Frequency

Answer 1

of times occurred

Question 2

Relative frequency

Answer 2

occurrence proportional to sample size

Question 3

Relative percent

Answer 3

relative frequency x 100

Question 4

Cumulative frequency

Answer 4

of scores equal to or below the score

Question 5

Cumulative relative frequency

Answer 5

cumulative frequency proportional to sample size

Question 6

Cumulative percent

Answer 6

cumulative relative frequency x 100

Question 7

Polygons

Answer 7

graph with connected dots (both ends come down to 0)

Question 8

Histograms

Answer 8

Graph with adjoining bars

Question 9

Bar graph

Answer 9

graph with separate bars- used for nominal level data

Question 10

Levels of Measurement

Answer 10

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

Question 11

Nominal

Answer 11

No properties of measurement
Use #s to categorize
Ex: gender, ethnicity, helped or did not help

Question 12

Ordinal

Answer 12

Magnitude but no equal intervals or absolute zero
Often rank ordering
Ex: places in a race

Question 13

Interval

Answer 13

Magnitude and equal intervals but no absolute zero
Provides info about the amount of difference between scores
Ex: degrees Fahrenheit
Required to use preferred statistics
Researchers often treat measurements that are technically ordinal as if they were interval (ex: Likert scales)

Question 14

Ratio

Answer 14

Magnitude, equal intervals, and absolute zero
Ex: length, duration
Allows for ration comparison

Question 15

Which level of measurement is most informative?

Answer 15

Ratio scale

Question 16

Discrete vs. continuous variables

Answer 16

-Discrete: Measured in whole units or categories that are not distributed along a continuum
Theoretically a finite # of possible values between any two values (Ex: # of siblings, # of points scored in basketball)
-Continuous: Measured along a continuum at any place beyond the decimal point
Can be measured in fractional units
Theoretically an infinite # of possible values between any two values (on a continuum) (Ex: blood pressure, intelligence)

Question 17

Experiment

Answer 17

Best method to demonstrate cause and effect
Researcher tries to ensure that all other possible causes, except for the effect of the IV, are unlimited or highly unlikely
Strategy: while controlling extraneous variables (anything that affects DV), manipulate an IV, and then measure effects on DV
To control for extraneous variables (hold constant, balance; ex: RA)
Goal: to isolate cause and effect- participants’ experience in the research is the same except for manipulations of IV

Question 18

Quasi- experiment

Answer 18

Like an experiment, but lacks at least one characteristic of a “true” experiment
Could lack:
A manipulated IV (ex: compare pre-existing groups)
A comparison/ control group

Question 19

Correlational study

Answer 19

Measure pairs of scores
Lacks controls needed to determine cause and effect~ 3 conditions
1. Covariation (only one met with correlational)
2. Time order~ cause must precede effect
3. Control of extraneous variables
Examine the extent to which two variables change with one another

Question 20

Descriptive vs. Inferential Statistics

Answer 20

Descriptive: Evaluation of info where statistics organize and summarize info such that the info is meaningful to those who read about the observations scientists made in study (to organize/ summarize info)
-Data you have
Inferential: Evaluation of info where scientists use info to answer a question or make an actionable decision (to interpret meaning of info)
-Beyond your data

Question 21

Frequency table when there is grouped data

Answer 21

Use grouped data b/c much data with a wide range of scores

5 to 20 intervals ( <5 then over-summarize, >20 then overly detailed)

Question 22

To construct frequency table for grouped data

Answer 22

1. Find real range: highest score - lowest score + 1 (round if possible to a whole number)
2. Interval width: real range / desired # of intervals
3. Construct frequency distribution
   -1. Lower and upper bound
   -2. Intervals should be = in size
   -3. No interval overlaps
   -4. Values rounded (to the same as original data)
   -5. Order intervals from high to low
   -6. Lower bound of lowest interval needs to be as low as
   (or lower) than the lowest score

Question 23

APA style table

Answer 23

3 overarching goals:

1. Simple
2. Complete
3. Self-explanatory