Solution Manual for Introduction to Research in

Education 9th Edition Ary Jacobs Irvine Walker

1133596746 9781133596745

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Chapter 6
Descriptive Statistics
Instructional Objectives

1. Describe the nature and uses of descriptive statistics.

2. Identify the characteristics, uses and limitations of four types of measurement scales—
nominal, ordinal, interval, and ratio.

3. Organize research data into frequency distributions, present them as frequency polygons and
histograms, and interpret polygons and histograms.

4. Distinguish between the measures of central tendency and the situations in which each should
be used. Calculate and interpret the mean, the median, and the mode.

5. Describe appropriate applications of measures of variability and compute variance, standard

deviation, and range.

6. Explain why z-scores have universal meaning and how this is useful in interpreting the
position of a single observation in a distribution.

7. Explain why z-scores are often transformed into other standard scores.

8. Convert a z-score to a stanine score and use this to give a verbal description of the score’s
meaning. Explain why stanine scores are easy to interpret.

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9. Transform raw scores into standard scores.

10. Explain advantages and disadvantages of percentile ranks. Calculate percentile rank for a
given score.

11. Identify the characteristics of the normal curve. Explain why it is useful in descriptive
research.

12. Use the normal curve table to estimate the percentile rank of a given z-score or estimate the z-
score of a given percentile rank.

13. Identify appropriate applications of Pearson r correlation for describing the relationship
between variables. Explain why it shows both the direction and the strength of the
relationship.

14. Describe the meaning of coefficient of determination and its application in interpreting the
coefficient of correlation.

15. Identify the components of effect size and the factors that increase and decrease effect size.

16. Explain how effect size assesses the strength of relationships between variables.

17. Calculate effect size for a difference between means. Explain why the Pearson r is a form of
effect size.

18. Perform a meta-analysis and explain the meaning of a meta-analysis outcome.

Chapter Outline

I. SCALES OF MEASUREMENT
A. Nominal Scale
B. Ordinal Scale
C. Interval Scale
D. Ratio Scale

II. ORGANIZING RESEARCH DATA

A. Frequency Distributions
B. Graphic Presentations

III. MEASURES OF CENTRAL TENDENCY

A. The Mode
B. The Median
C. The Mean
D. Comparison of the Three Indexes of Central Location
E. Shapes of Distributions

IV. MEASURES OF VARIABILITY

A. Range
B. Variance and Standard Deviation

V. MEASURES OF RELATIVE POSITION

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 A. z-Score
B. Stanine Scores
C. Other Standard Scores
D. Percentile Rank

VI. THE NORMAL CURVE

VII. CORRELATION
A. The Pearson Product Moment Correlation Coefficient
B. Scatterplots
C. Interpretation of Pearson r

VIII. EFFECT SIZE

IX. META-ANALYSIS

USING TECHNOLOGY TO ANALYZE DATA

X. SUMMARY

Suggestions for Instructors

1. Explain to the students the role or importance that descriptive statistics play in research.

2. Prepare a data sheet containing the two sets of scores made by previous students on mid-term
and final tests and hand it to your students at the outset of this chapter. Data will be used for
exercises throughout the chapter. Ask students to:
a. organize both sets of data into frequency distributions.
b. produce frequency polygons and histograms for both sets of data.
c. find the mode, the median, and the mean for both distributions, and make a statement
regarding the shape of the distribution by comparing these values.
d. find the range, quartile deviation, variance, and standard deviation for both
distributions and make a statement regarding the degree of variability in both
distributions.
e. convert the scores of five individuals in both tests into scores and compare their
performance in the two tests.
f. use the z-scores of the same individuals in order to find the exact location of their
scores in the distributions using the Table of Areas of Normal Curve.
g. Using both sets of data produce a scatterplot and approximate the size of correlation
between the two sets of data.
h. compute the Pearson r coefficient of correlation between the two sets of data.
i. take out the scores of the middle 40 percent of the students in the first distribution and
find the Pearson r between these scores and those of the same individuals in the second
distribution to provide an example of the effect of the restriction in range on the size of
correlation.

3. Have students find examples of instances when each of the statistics discussed in the chapter
is appropriate.

4. Have students find paired variables which are highly correlated, but where the absence of
cause-and-effect relationships between them is obvious.

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5. Have students identify sets of paired measures, which would have the correlation of +1 or –1.

6. Bring out the exercise you did of students’ guessing test scores on the first day of class. Have
students describe how well it resembles the normal curve.

7. Present an article comparing differences between two means which gives the difference
between the means and the standard deviation of the control group, but does not report effect
size. Have students calculate effect size and evaluate the practical importance of the study.

8. For the mean and median, compare SPSS results from Mr. Li’s first exam scores and have
students note the relation between these outcomes and the results in the book.

9. Make copies of part of your state’s annual report with data of interest to your students. Have
them describe how knowledge of statistics helps them understand such reports.

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 Formula sheet

VIDEO:

For a video about correlations, I use this in my class: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jbkSRLYSojo

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