Chapter 5

Utilization of Assessment Data

DAVID, Trixie F

Statistics is a very important tool in the utilization of the assessment data most especially in describing,
analyzing, and interpreting the performance of the students in the assessment procedures.
DEFINITION OF STATISTICS
Statistics- is a branch of science which deals with the collection, presentation, analysis and interpretation
of quantitative data.
Branches of Statistics
Descriptive statistics is a method concerned with collecting, describing, and analyzing a set of data
without drawing conclusions (or inferences) about a large group
Inferential statistics is a branch of statistics, concerned with the analysis of a subset of data leading to
predictions or inferences about the entire set of data.

FREQUENCY DISTRIBUTION
Frequency distribution is a tabular arrangement of data into appropriate categories showing the
number of observations in each category or group.
Two major advantages:
(a) it encompasses the size of the table
(b) it makes the data more interpretive
Parts of Frequency Table
1. Class limit is the groupings or categories defined by the lower and upper limits.
Example:
LL – UL
10 – 14
15 – 9
20 – 24
Lower class limit (LL) represents the smallest number in each group.
Upper class limit (UL) represents the highest number in each group.

2. Class size (c.i) is the width of each class interval.

Example:
LL – UL
10 – 14
15 – 19
20 – 24
The class size in this score distribution is 5.

3. Class boundaries are the numbers used to separate each category in the frequency distribution but
without gaps created by the class limits. The scores of the students are discrete. Add 0.5 to the
upper limit to get the upper class boundary and subtract 0.5 to the lower limit to get the lower class
boundary in each group or category.
Example:
LL – UL LCB – UCB
10 – 14 9.5 – 14.5
15 – 19 14.5 – 19.5
20 – 24 19.5 – 24.5
 4. Class marks are the midpoint of the lower and upper class limits. The forrmula is XM = LL+UL/ 2
Example:
LL – UL XM
10 – 14 12
15 – 19 17
20 – 24 22

Steps in Constructing Frequency Distribution

1. Compute the value of the range (R). Range is the difference between the highest score and the
lowest score.
R = HS - LS
2. Determine the class size (c.i). The class size is the quotient when you divide the range by the
desired number of classes or categories. The desired numbers of classes are usually 5, 10 or 15
and they depend on the number of scores in the distribution. If the desired number of classes is not
identified, find the value of k, where k = 1 + 3.3 log n.

3. Find the class Interval

c.i= R / desired number of classes or

c.i= R/K

4. Set up the class limits of each class or category. Each class defined by the lower limit and upper
limit. Use the lowest score as the lower limit of the first class.

5. Set up the class boundaries if needed. Use the formula:

cb = LL of the second class - UL of the first class /2

5. Tally the scores in the appropriate classes.

6. Find the other parts if necessary such as class marks, among others.

Example: Raw scores of 40 students in a 50-item mathematics quiz. Construct a frequency

distribution following the steps given previously.
17 25 30 33 25 45 23 19
27 35 45 48 20 38 39 18
44 22 46 26 36 29 15-LS 21
50-HS 47 34 26 37 25 33 49
22 33 44 38 46 41 37 32
R = HS – LS
=50- 15
R = 35

n = 40

Solve the value of k.

k = 1+3.3 log n
k = 1+3.3 log 40
k = 1+3.3(1.602059991)
k = 1+5.286797971
k = 6.286797971
k=6
Find the class interval.
c.i = R
k

c.i = 35
 6
c.i = 5.833
c.i = 6

Construct the class limit starting with the lowest score as the lower limit of the first category. The last
category should contain the highest score in the distribution. Each category should contain 6 as the size of
the width (X). Count the number of scores that falls in each category (f).
X Tally Frequency (f)
15 – 20 //// 4
21 – 26 ///////// 9
27 – 32 /// 3
33 – 38 ////////// 10
39 – 44 //// 4
45 – 50 ////////// __10__
n= 40

Find the class boundaries and class marks of the given score distribution.
X f Class Boundaries Xm
15 – 20 4 14.5 – 20.5 17.5
21 – 26 9 20.5 – 26.5 23.5
27 – 32 3 26.5 – 32.5 29.5
33 – 38 10 32.5 – 38.5 35.5
39 – 44 4 38.5 – 44.5 41.5
__10__
45 – 50 n= 40 44.5 – 50.5 47.5

Graphical Representation of Scores in Frequency Distribution

The scores expressed in frequency distribution can be meaningful and easier t interpret when they are
graphed. There are methods of graphing frequency distribution: bar graph or histogram and frequency
polygon and smooth curve. Bar graph of histogram and frequency distribution will be discussed in this
section while smooth curve will be discussed later in the skewness.
Histogram consists of a set of rectangles having bases on the horizontal axis which centers at the
class marks. The base widths correspond to the class size and the height of the rectangles corresponds to
the class frequencies. Histogram is best used for graphical representation of discrete data or non-
continuous data.
Frequency polygon is constructed by plotting the class marks against the class frequencies. The x-
axis corresponds to the class marks and the y-axis corresponds to the class frequencies. Connect the
points consecutively using a straight line. Frequency polygon is best used in representing continuous data
such as the scores of students in a given test.
Construct a histogram and frequency polygon using the frequency distribution of 40 students in a
50-item mathematics quiz previously discussed.
X Frequency (f)
15 – 20 4
21 – 26 9
27 – 32 3
33 – 38 10
39 – 44 4
45 – 50 __10__
n= 40
MEASURE OF CENTRAL TENDENCY
Measure of central tendency provides a very convenient way of describing a set of scores with a single
number that describes the performance of the group. It is also defined as a single value that is used to
describe the “center” of the data.
MEAN

Mean is the most commonly used measure of the center of the data and it is also referred as the “arithmetic
average.”
If we compute the mean of the population, we call it the parametric or population mean, denoted by µ.

If we get the mean of the sample, we call it the sample mean and it is denoted by x̄.
Mean for Ungrouped Data

Mean for Grouped Data

Grouped data are the data or scores that are arranged in a frequency distribution. Frequency
distribution is the arrangement of scores according to category of classes including the frequency.
Frequency is the number of observations falling in category.
Midpoint method
Formula:

Properties of the Mean

1. It measures stability. Mean is the most stable among other measures of cen- tral tendency because
every score contributes to the value of the mean.
2. The sum of each score's distance from the mean is zero.
3. It is easily affected by the extreme scores.
4. It may not be an actual score in the distribution.
5. It can be applied to interval level of measurement.
6. It is very easy to compute.

When to Use the Mean

1. Sampling stability is desired.
2. Other measures are to be computed such as standard deviation, coefficient of variation and
skewness.
MEDIAN
Median is what divides the scores in the distribution into two equal parts. Fifty percent (50%) lies below the
median value and 50% lies above the median value. It is also known as the middle score or the 50th
percentile.
Median of Ungrouped Data
1. Arrange the scores (from lowest to highest or highest to lowest).
2. Determine the middle most score in a distribution if n is an odd number and get the average of the
two middle most scores if n is an even number.
Formula for even number:
x̄ = (n + 1)/2th term

Median of Grouped Data

Formula:

Steps in Solving Median for Grouped Data

1. Complete the table for cf<.
2. Get n/2 of the scores in the distribution so that you can identify MC.
3. Determine LB, cfp, fm, and c.i.
4. Solve the median using the formula.

Properties of the Median

1. It may not be an actual observation in the data set.
2. It can be applied in ordinal level.
3. It is not affected by extreme values because median is a positional measure.

When to Use the Median

1. The exact midpoint of the score distribution is desired.
2. There are extreme scores in the distribution.

MODE
The mode or the modal score is a score or scores that occurred most in the distribution. It is classified as
unimodal, bimodal, and trimodal and multimodal.
Unimodal is a distribution of scores that consists of only one mode.
Bimodal is a distribution of scores that consists of two modes.
Trimodal is a distribution of scores that consists of three modes or multimodal is a distribution of scores that
consists of more than two modes.

Example 1: Scores of 10 students in Section A, Section B, and Section C.

Scores of Section A Scores of Section B Scores of Section C
25 25 25
24 24 25
24 24 25
20 20 22
20 18 21
20 18 21
16 17 21
 12 10 18
10 9 18
7 7 18
The score that appeared most in section A is 20, hence, the mode of section A is 20. There is only one
mode, therefore, score distribution is called unimodal. The modes of section B are 18 and 24, since both 18
and 24 appeared twice. There are two modes of section B, hence, the distribution is a bimodal distribution.
The modes for section C are 18, 21, and 25. There are three modes for section C, therefore, it is called a
trimodal or multimodal distribution.

Mode for Grouped Data

Properties of the Mode

1. It can be used when the data are qualitative as well as quantitative.
2. It may not be unique.
3. It is not affected by extreme values.
4. It may not exist.
When to Use the Mode
1. When the "typical" value is desired.
2. When the data set is measured on a nominal scale.

QUANTILES
Quantile is a score distribution where the scores are divided into different equal parts.
There are three kinds of quantiles.
The quartile is a score point that divides the scores in the distribution into four (4) equal parts.
Decile is a score point that divides the scores in the distribution into ten (10) equal parts.
Percentile is a score point that divides the scores in the distribution into hundred (100) equal parts.