Problem Set 3 Descriptives

1. What are the three measures of central tendency? Mode, median mean
2. What are the four measures of variability? Range, interquartile, standard deviation,
variance
3. What percentage of people should have scores between z=2.0 and z=-2.0? 97%
4. When should you use the median instead of the mean? Skewed distribution
5. Which one of the four levels of measurement requires that you use the mode as the
measure of central tendency? Nominal level
6. If you convert a whole set of data to standard scores,
1. What is the mean? 0
2. What is the standard deviation? 1
3. If you add up all the standard scores what will you get? 0
7. Which form of research (quantitative or qualitative) is “hypothesis-generating”?
Qualitative Which is “Hypothesis-testing”? Quantitative
8. What does reliability mean and which form of research is it associated with?

Consistency, stability, and repeatability. Quantitative and qualitative

9. Which form of research (qualitative or quantitative) is more likely to involve extensive

collaboration with research participants? ­

Qualitative research

10. Which measure of central tendency makes most sense for data that are highly skewed?

________________ median

11. If the mean is lower than the median, which way are the data skewed? __________

Left

12. Enter the following data set into SPSS.

Year Test1 Test2 Test3 MathSkills

FR 82 91 81 Excellent

FR 78 88 91 Good
 JR 85 71 77 Excellent
SR 82 97 98 Good
SR 75 77 59 Good
FR 81 89 51 Excellent

FR 79 76 82 Poor
SO 63 51 71 Fair

JR 50 73 80 Fair

SO 55 60 52 Poor

13. What is the N? ­5

14. Use SPSS to find the mean Test 1 scores for:
1. Freshmen: 80.00
2. Sophomores 59.00
3. Juniors 67.50
4. Seniors 78.50
15. Create a new variable that standardizes Test1 scores
16. What is the standard score for the last subject? _____ What does this score mean? ___

______________________________________________________________________
_

17. On which level (nominal, ordinal, interval, ratio) are each of the following variables
coded? Year: Nominal, Test1: interval, MathSkills: nominal
18. Create a new variable called Average that is the average of the three tests. What is its
median? 75.6667
19. Create a scatterplot with Test1 on the x-axis and Test2 on the y-axis. Paste it in below:
Got deleted

20.

21. Open the data set, “Cars” from the SPSS folder.
 22. Create a pie chart of the variable Cylinders. Paste it in below:

23.

24. Make a histogram of MPG and paste it below. Is it skewed left or right? Skewed right
25.

26. Therefore, which is greater the mean or the median? median

Create a bar chart of the mean of MPG as a function of the Model Year and paste it below (hint:
check the “other statistic (e.g., mean)” box and put MPG in the box that opens up; then put
Model Year into the “category axis” box.

27. What does this chart tell you? Throughout the years the miles per gallon has been
increasing.
 28. Create a scatterplot of MPG with Weight and paste it below.

29.

30. What does this plot tell you? Vehicles ranging from 2000-3000lbs are able to
average more miles per gallon.

31. What level of measurement is the variable Origin? Nominal

32. What does the Accel variable measure? Time to accelerate
33. Create a Crosstabs table from the variables Cylinders and Origin. Be sure to include
percentages for row, column, and total. What percent of American cars have 4
cylinders? 34.8% What percent of 4 cylinder cars are American? 28.5% What percent of
all cars are 4 cylinder American cars? 17.8% Looking over the entire table, what are the
most striking observations you can make about the region of origin and the number of
cylinders? America is the only country to had made cars with 8 cylinders and
America has made 107 different cars with 8 cylinders.

34. What are the advantages and disadvantages of qualitative research?

More in depth observations, flexible, more discussion. There can be more bias,
issues with sample size, and lack of privacy.
 35. What are the advantages and disadvantages of quantitative research?

Larger sample sizes, its faster and easier, the data is anonymous. But you can’t be
given follow up answers, research isn’t normally in normal environments, and
limitations of questions/answers on surveys.

36. In an experiment, how do you control extraneous variables?

Randomization, control group.

37. Consider the relationship between how well you do in a class and the amount of
studying you do. Identify the independent and dependent variables. IV = The amount of
studying. DV = how well you do in class. What are some extraneous variables? Prior
knowledge, motivation.

38. Describe how you would conduct an experiment to test whether there was a relationship
between grades and amount of homework completed.

Formulate hypothesis as to what I believe would occur between studying and grades,, define
the variables, assign participants to do the homework, while have another group do none of the
homework, collect data, analyze data, interpret results, conclusion, and report

39. Describe an observational study on the same question.

Assign participants to do the homework, and have another group do none of the homework.
Then have them take a test on the topic that they were learning, and have them report back as
to what they felt. Such as have them say whether or not the homework helped them or not. Or
the ones that didn’t do the homework, ask them if they felt that if they did the homework would
they have done better. Gather the results and data and determine whether the homework
helped or not.