Statistical Literacy

Question 1

Descriptive status

Answer 1

mathematical techniques used to describe and summarize numeric data

Question 2

inferential statistics

Answer 2

mathematical methods for extending experimental conclusions from samples to larger populations

Question 3

graphical statistics

Answer 3

techniques for presenting numbers pictorially, often by plotting them on a graph

Question 4

frequency distribution

Answer 4

a table that divides an entire range of scores into a series of classes and then records the number of scores that fall into each class

Question 5

frequency histogram

Answer 5

a graph of a frequency distribution in which the number of scores falling in each class is represented by vertical bars

Question 6

frequency polygon

Answer 6

a graph of a frequency distribution in which the number of scores falling in each class is represented by points on a line

Question 7

central tendency

Answer 7

the tendency for a majority of scores to fall in the midrange of possible values

Question 8

mean

Answer 8

a measure of central tendency calculated by adding a group of actors and then dividing by the total number of scores

Question 9

median

Answer 9

A measure of central tendency found by arranging scores form the heightens to the lowest and selecting the scare that falls in the middle—that is, half the values in a group of scores fall above the median and half below it

Question 10

mode

Answer 10

a measure of central tendency found by identifying the most frequently occurring score in a group of scores

Question 11

variability

Answer 11

the tendency for a group to scores to differ in value. Measure of variability indicate the degree to which a group of scores differs from one another

Question 12

range

Answer 12

the difference between the highest and lowest scores in a group of scores

Question 13

standard deviation (SD)

Answer 13

a statistical index of how much a typical score differs from the mean of a group of scores

Question 14

z-score

Answer 14

a number that tells how many standard deviations above or below the mean a score is

Question 15

normal curve

Answer 15

a bell-shaped distribution, with a large number of scores in the middle, tapering to very few extremely high and low scores

Question 16

correlation

Answer 16

the existence of a consistent, systematic relationship between two events, measures, or variables

Question 17

scatter diagram

Answer 17

a graph that plots the intersection of paired measures; that is, the points at which paired X and Y measures cross

Question 18

positive correlation

Answer 18

a mathematical relationship in which increases in one measure are matched by increases in the other (or decreases correspond with decreases)

Question 19

zero correlation

Answer 19

the absence of a (linear) mathematical relationship between two measures

Question 20

negative correlation

Answer 20

a mathematical relationship in which increases in one measure are matched by decreases in the other

Question 21

coefficient of correlation

Answer 21

a statistics index ranging form -1.00 to +1.00 that indicates the direction and degree of correlation

Question 22

perfect positive correlation

Answer 22

a mathematical relationship in which the correlation between two measures is +1.00

Question 23

perfect negative correlation

Answer 23

a mathematical relationship in which the correlation between two measures is -1.00

Question 24

percent of variance

Answer 24

a portion of the total amount of variation in a group of scores

Question 25

causation

Answer 25

the act of causing some effect

Question 26

population

Answer 26

an entire group of animals, people, or objects belonging to a particular category (for example, all college students or all married women)

Question 27

sample

Answer 27

a smaller subpart of a population

Question 28

representative sample

Answer 28

a small, randomly selected part of a larger population that accurately reflects characteristics of the whole population

Question 29

random selection

Answer 29

choosing a sample so that each member of the population has an equal change of being included in the sample

Question 30

statistical significance (statistically significant)

Answer 30

the degree to which an event (such as the results of an experiment) is unlikely to have occurred by chance alone