Ch.1 Terms
The science of data as well as the art of distilling meaning from data
What is Statistics?
In the book: p. 13, #13
Quantitative
A group of individuals or objects referred to by every survey/poll either directly or indirectly
What is Population
p. 338, # 7
a. Cluster sample
b. Stratified sample
c. Systematic sample
The type of qualitative data that includes names, labels, and categories
What are Nominal Qualitative (Categorical) Data?
Systematicallu recorded information WITH its context (variables)
What are data?
In the book: p. 14, #23
Who: coffee drinkers at Newcastle University coffee station
What: amount of money contributed
Population: all people in honor system payment situations
The one topic that the survey deals with
What is Parameter of Interest?
p. 339, #11
a. Voluntary response bias
b. convenience sample
A variable which is usually a number with its unit of measure
What is a Quantitative variable?
The use of numbers (% or count) along with graphs to present information about a data set
What is Descriptive Statistics?
p. 14, # 27 (don't need to identify the units for quantitative data but do identify whether any qualitative data is Nominal or Ordinal)
Who: 54 bears
What: weight, neck size, length, gender
When: not specified
Where: not specified
Why: to estimate weight from easier-to-measure variables
How: researchers collected data on 54 bears they were able to catch
Quantitative: weight, neck size, length
Qualitative (Nominal): gender
A numerical value for a certain characteristic of a population. You almost never know the true value
What is a Parameter?
p. 341, #35
a. Seems neutral
b. Biased towards yes because of "Great tradition." Better to ask, "Do you favor continued funding for the space program?"
The qualitative variable that includes some type of ranking
What are Ordinal Qualitative (Categorical) Data?
The use of the data from a sample of a larger population to make estimates, predictions, or other generalizations about a larger population
What is Inferential Statistics?
p. 14, # 31 (don't need to identify the units for quantitative data but do identify whether any qualitative data is Nominal or Ordinal)
Who: 882 births
What: Mother's age, length of pregnancy, type of birth, level of prenatal care, birth weight of baby, gender of baby, baby's health problems
When: 1998-2000
Where: large city hospital
Why: researchers were investigating the impact of prenatal care on newborn health
How: not specified, but probably from hospital records
Quantitative: mother's age, length of pregnancy, birth weight of baby
Qualitative (Nominal): type of birth, gender, baby's health problems
Qualitative (ordinal): level of prenatal care
The natural tendency for randomly selected samples to differ (providing different data and leads to different statistics).
What is sampling variability (sample error)?
p. 339, #21
a. Population: cars
b. Parameter: proportion of up-to-date registration, insurance, and safety inspections
c. Sampling frame: all cars on that road
d. Sample: those actually stopped by roadblock
e. Method: cluster sample of location; census within cluster
f. Left out: local drivers that do not take that road
g. Bias: time of day and location may not be representative of all cars
The W's of stats problems
Who, What, Why, When, Where, How
Variables that may be classified into two categories with words or numerals. These variables do not have units.
What are Qualitative (Categorical) Data?
p. 15, # 35 (don't need to identify the units for quantitative data but do identify whether any qualitative data is Nominal or Ordinal)p. 15, # 35
Who: streams
What: name of stream, substrate of the stream, acidity of water, temperature, BCI
When: not specified
Where: upstate NY
Why: to study the ecology of streams
How: not specified
Quantitative: acidity, temperature, BSI
Qualitative (nominal): Stream name, Substrate of the stream
The word used to describe a sample that is not representative of the population
p. 339, # 17
a. Population: US Adults
b. Parameter: proportion who have used and benefited from alternative medicine
c. Sampling frame: all Consumer Union Subscribers
d. Sample: those who responded
e. Method: questionnaire to all (nonrandom)
f. Left out: those who are more Consumers Union subscribers
g. Nonresponse bias. Those who respond may have strong feelings one way or another.
Debunk the stat: as piracy rates have decreased, global temperatures have increased. Therefore, piracy is a global warming preventative.
Please tell me you got that.