Understanding Statistics

Question 1

Descriptive Statistics

Answer 1

summarizes data so they an easily be understood

Question 2

frequency distribution

Answer 2

how data is distributed

Question 3

frequencies

Answer 3

example of descriptive statistic

Question 4

percentages

Answer 4

describe how many per hundred

Question 5

sampling errors

Answer 5

possibility that a sample does not accurately reflect the population

Question 6

Inferential statistics

Answer 6

help researchers make generalizations about the characteristics of populations from the study

Question 7

margin of error

Answer 7

inferential statistic estimating possible sample error

Question 8

significance tests

Answer 8

1. family of inferential statistics which help decide whether differences in descriptive statistics are reliable
2. determine the probability that the null hypothesis is true

Question 9

parameters

Answer 9

values from a census

Question 10

statistics

Answer 10

for values from studies in which samples were examined

Question 11

samples yield…

Answer 11

statistics

Question 12

populations yield…

Answer 12

parameters

Question 13

Null hypothesis

Answer 13

the observed difference was created by sampling error

Question 14

probability symbol

Answer 14

p

Question 15

statistically significant

Answer 15

when the researcher rejects the null hypothesis

Question 16

Scales of Measurement

Answer 16

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

Question 17

Nominal

Answer 17

1. naming

2. words

Question 18

Ordinal

Answer 18

1. ordering

2. ranking

Question 19

Interval

Answer 19

1. measures the amount of difference
2. equal distance between
3. no absolute zero

Question 20

Ratio

Answer 20

1. equal interval

2. absolute zero

Question 21

Frequencies symbol

Answer 21

f

Question 22

number of cases symbol

Answer 22

N

Question 23

univariate analysis

Answer 23

analyzing how participants vary on only one variable

Question 24

bivariate analysis

Answer 24

relationship between two nominal variables

Question 25

chi-square

Answer 25

1. usual test of the null hypothesis for differences between frequencies 2. x2

Question 26

degrees of freedom

Answer 26

1. df | 2. not descriptive statistics

Question 27

Type I Error

Answer 27

rejecting the null hypothesis when it is in fact a correct hypothesis

Question 28

Type II Error

Answer 28

failing to reject the null hypothesis when it is in fact an incorrect hypothesis

Question 29

Frequency Polygon

Answer 29

using data from a frequency distribution to construct a graph

Question 30

Normal curve

Answer 30

smooth, bell-shaped curve

Question 31

skewed distributions

Answer 31

a distribution that has a tail to one side

Question 32

positive skew

Answer 32

tail to the right

Question 33

negative skew

Answer 33

tail to the left

Question 34

mean

Answer 34

1. balance point in a distribution | 2. average calculation

Question 35

median

Answer 35

1. middle score

Question 36

mode

Answer 36

most frequently occurring score

Question 37

synonym of averages

Answer 37

measures of central tendency

Question 38

Standard deviation

Answer 38

1. S or SD | 2. variability

Question 39

variability

Answer 39

amount by which participants differ from each other

Question 40

range

Answer 40

highest score minus the lowest score

Question 41

Pearson Correlation Coefficient

Answer 41

1. most widely used coefficient 2. r 3. Pearson r

Question 42

direct relationship

Answer 42

1. positive relationship | 2. both variables are either high or low

Question 43

inverse relationship

Answer 43

1. negative relationship | 2. one variable is high and one variable is low

Question 44

coefficient of determination

Answer 44

1. r2 | 2. needed to represent correlation in perms of percentages

Question 45

t test

Answer 45

used to test the null hypothesis regarding the observed difference between two means

Question 46

ANOVA

Answer 46

analysis of variance

Question 47

one-way ANOVA

Answer 47

single-factor ANOVA

Question 48

Five Considerations in Practical Significance

Answer 48

1. cost-benefit analysis 2. crucial difference 3. client acceptability 4. public and political acceptability 5. ethical and legal implications