Descriptive Data

Question 1

Pros and cons of the mean

Answer 1

-> takes all scores into account
-> can do further analysis
-> may be skewed by anomalies

Question 2

Pros & cons of the median

Answer 2

• quick + easy
• not affected by extreme scores
• does not take all scores into account
• no further analysis can be carried out

Question 3

Mode pros & cons

Answer 3

• gives researcher knowledge of what’s prevalent
• very easy to find
• no further analysis
• becomes meaningless if too many modes

Question 4

Range pros and cons

Answer 4

• easy to calculate
• makes data more meaningful
• sensitive to outliers, doesn’t use all the data set, doesn’t show frequency of scores

Question 5

Pros and cons of Standard deviation

Answer 5

• hard to calculate
• assumes a normal distribution pattern
• most precise & accurate; considers all values, to indicate consistency of results

Question 6

Tables are drawn based on …

Answer 6

Contingencies
E.g. 3x2 contingency = 3 columns & 2 rows

Question 7

Bar charts are used for […] data

Answer 7

Categorical / non-continuous

Question 8

Histograms and line graphs are used for […] data

Answer 8

Continuous
E.g. histograms = age groups in years (11-15, 16-20 etc)
& line graphs = over time etc (e.g 1pm, 2pm etc)

Question 9

What are scattergraphs used to plot

Answer 9

Correlations

Question 10

What does standard deviation tell us about?

Answer 10

The consistency of the data e.g. less s.d. More consistent