Deck 9: Quantitative Data Analysis

Question 1

Any pattern of association between two quantitative variables that does not involve a regular increase or decrease is known as ______.

A)variance
B)monotonic
C)curvilinear
D)bimodal

Answer 1

C

Question 2

A standard deviation is the square root of the ______.

A)mean
B)median
C)range
D)variance

Answer 2

D

Question 3

The mathematical likelihood that an association is not due to chance and typically expressed using a p value is ______.

A) $\gamma$
B)statistical significance
C) $\chi$ ²
D)regression

Answer 3

statistical significance

Question 4

If you want to display the percentage of men in eight team sports as compared to women in the most efficient table,use a ______.

A)combined frequency display
B)compressed frequency display
C)frequency polygon
D)histogram

Question 5

Which of the following are used to summarize the central tendency of quantitative variables?

A)mean and mode
B)variance and range
C) $\gamma$ and $\chi$ ²
D)median and mean

Question 6

______ is NOT an aspect of a crosstabulation table.

A)Existence
B)Strength
C)Direction
D)none of these

Question 7

When you create a percentage table,you should percentage ______.

A)the columns
B)the rows
C)the columns and the rows
D)neither columns nor rows

Question 8

For the set of numbers 4,6,7,6,2,3,4,6,2,5,the mode is ______.

A)2
B)4
C)6
D)9

Question 9

Statistics used for estimating the degree of confidence that can be placed in generalizations from a sample to the population from which it was selected are known as ______.

A)descriptive statistics
B)variability measures
C)measures of central tendency
D)inferential statistics

Question 10

The process of assigning a unique numerical code to each response to survey questions is called ______.

A)coding
B)precoding
C)randomization
D)data cleaning

Question 11

The probability average is also the ______.

A)mean
B)median
C)mode
D)variance

Question 12

In the group of numbers 1,1,6,7,8,37,37 is ______.

A)the mean
B)the median
C)an outlier
D)the range

Question 13

Data should be grouped in distributions in all of the following situations EXCEPT ______.

A)There are more than 15-20 values on the variable to begin with.
B)There are too many categories to be displayed on an easily readable table.
C)The distribution will be clearer if some values are combined.
D)The values between categories are significantly different.

Question 14

Quantitative data that vary along a continuum are best displayed as which type(s)of graphs?

A)frequency polygon
B)histogram
C)bar chart
D)frequency polygon and histogram

Question 15

If the purpose of a statistic is to report the middle position in one or more distributions,which of the following is the appropriate statistic?

A)mean
B)median
C) $\chi$ ²
D)Pearson's r

Question 16

How do most survey organizations now prevent the entry of invalid codes?

A)preceding of surveys
B)database programs that control data entry
C)use of secondary data
D)use of qualitative research

Question 17

The square root of the average squared deviation of each case from the mean is ______.

A)variance
B)skewness
C)normal distribution
D)standard deviation

Question 18

______ is NOT a criterion that should be considered when determining which studies to include in a meta-analysis.

A)Time frame
B)Tables displayed
C)Publication type
D)Research methods

Question 19

Probability average is another term for ______.

A)mean
B)median
C)mode
D)none of these

Question 20

If the mean is greater than the median,which of the following must be true?

A)Variable is normally distributed.
B)Variable is measured at the ordinal level.
C)The variable's distribution must be positively skewed.
D)The relationship between variables is inverse.

Question 21

A measure of variation that looks at the upper limit in a distribution minus the true lower limit is?

A)IQR
B)range
C)variance
D)standard deviation

Question 22

When a standard deviation is calculated from sample data,the denominator in the formula SHOULD be ______.

A)the sum of all values of Y
B)the mean of Y
C)N
D)N − 1

Question 23

In a regression analysis,if r = 0,then ______.

A)the correlation is perfect
B)the correlation is negative
C)the correlation is normal
D)there is no linear correlation

Question 24

$\gamma$ measures the strength of association in ______.

A)correlation
B)regression
C)crosstabs
D)elaboration

Question 25

In the following distribution of the variable semesters completed,which of the following is the median: 4,3,1,0,3,3,4,0,3,2,4?

A)0
B)1
C)2
D)3

Question 26

Unique combinations of row and column variables in a cross-tabulation can be found in the table ______.

A)title
B)cells
C)marginals
D)stubs

Question 27

Adding an intervening variable in a bivariate analysis allows us to understand what potential part of the relationship?

A)direction of association
B)strength of association
C)causal mechanism
D)nonspuriousness

Question 28

______ data displays would be the most appropriate for displaying the distribution of the highest year of school completed?

A)mean
B)mode
C)histogram
D)regression

Question 29

Which of the following is NOT a guideline for constructing graphs?

A)When possible,use graphics instead of bars.
B)Always use bars of equal width.
C)The two axes should be of approximately equal length.
D)Avoid "chart junk" that clutters the graph.

Question 30

Which summary statistic should be used for nominal variables?

A)range
B)mode
C)mean
D)median

Question 31

Three features of a distribution's shape are ______.

A)variability,compression,and distribution
B)variability,frequency,and distribution
C)central tendency,variability,and skewness
D)mode,median,and mean

Question 32

Which of the following are statistical measures of variation?

A)mean,median,and mode
B)variance and standard deviation
C) $\gamma$ and chi square
D)highest and lowest value

Question 33

The total number of cases in a distribution is called ______.

A)the base number N
B)the range
C)the row marginal
D)the mode

Question 34

In the following distribution of the variable semesters completed,which of the following whole numbers is closest to the mean: 4,3,1,0,3,3,4,0,3,2?

A)0
B)1
C)2
D)3

Question 35

Typical standards in frequency table construction allow people to ______.

A)compare across and percentage down columns
B)percentage down and compare across columns
C)compare row and column marginals
D)project the distribution of the independent and dependent variables

Question 36

Third variables can be entered into a bivariate relationship for all of the following reasons EXCEPT ______.

A)to identify an intervening variable
B)to test a relationship for spuriousness
C)to establish statistical significance
D)as a control variable

Question 37

To consider context in a bivariate crosstabs,add ______?

A)control variable
B)dichotomous variable
C)extraneous variable
D)intervening variable

Question 38

In the following distribution of the variable semesters completed,which is the mode: 4,3,1,0,3,3,4,0,3,2?

A)0
B)1
C)2
D)3

Question 39

An alternative to the histogram,which is particularly useful for displaying variables with a wide range of values,is a ______.

A)bar chart
B)pie chart
C)categorical chart
D)frequency polygon

Question 40

In a normal curve,roughly what percentage of all cases fall within plus or minus 2 standard deviations?

A)10%
B)25%
C)68%
D)95%

Question 41

Estimating the probability that an association between two variables is not due to chance in a cross-tabular analysis is based on an inferential statistic called ______.

A) $\chi$ ²
B)probability average
C)standard deviation
D)correlation

Question 42

A correlation coefficient varies from ______.

A)−1 to 1
B)0 to 1
C)1-10
D)−1 to 0

Question 43

All of the following are ways of defining the median of a distribution EXCEPT ______.

A)the position average
B)the point that divides the distribution in half
C)the 50th percentile
D)the arithmetic average

Question 44

A bar chart is best used to display what kind of data?

A)nominal
B)dichotomous
C)ordinal
D)interval

Question 45

The quantitative analysis of findings from multiple studies is known as ______.

A)correlational analysis
B)statistical synthesis
C)meta-analysis
D)monotonic analysis

Question 46

If a variable contains more than 20 potential categories,it should be grouped in a frequency distribution.

Question 47

Precoding refers to assigning numeric codes to response categories on a survey prior to letting respondents complete the survey.

Question 48

Data cleaning is most important when downloading secondary data files.

Question 49

The mean is the most commonly used measure of central tendency for quantitative variables.

Question 50

The process of introducing a third variable into an analysis to better understand the bivariate (two-variable)relationship under consideration is called ______.

A)specification
B) $\chi$ ² analysis
C)elaboration analysis
D)correlational analysis

Question 51

In bar charts and histograms,bars should be of unequal width to facilitate comparing between categories.

Question 52

A combined frequency display eliminates unnecessary percentages,such as those corresponding to the second value of a dichotomous variable.

Question 53

The median is most suited to measure the central tendency of variables measured at the ordinal level,but it can be used at the interval and ratio levels as well.

Question 54

A unimodal distribution has a single value that is selected most often.

Question 55

The median is not affected by skewness of a variable's distribution.

Question 56

The most commonly used level of statistical significant is ______.

A)p < .01
B)p < .05
C)p < .10
D)p > .01

Question 57

The beginning point of axes on graphs should be zero unless clearly marked.

Question 58

Three features of a shape are important in a univariate distribution: mean,median,and mode.

Question 59

The median is the arithmetic average of the values on a given variable.

Question 60

A frequency polygon displays number and percentage of cases per cell in a table.

Question 61

In what circumstances should data be grouped in frequency distributions? How does one determine which groups should be used?

Question 62

Consider the use of bar charts,histograms,and frequency polygons.When are each appropriate? Sketch each type of graph.What standards exist for presenting graphic data in social research?

Question 63

Compute three measures of central tendency and two measures of variability for the following data set: When asked their age,10 college students responded: 21,19,20,18,18,19,33,22,19,and 18.Given this distribution,which measures of central tendency and variability are most appropriate? Explain your decision,drawing a graph or creating a frequency distribution as necessary.

Question 64

Explain the logic and components of regression analysis.What is the purpose of the correlation coefficient? A scatterplot?

Question 65

Range is computed by subtracting the highest value from the lowest value and adding 1.

Question 66

Name at least three circumstances in which it is appropriate to add a third variable into a cross-tabulation.Why would you do each? What features of the bivariate relationship could be demonstrated using a three-variable crosstab?

Question 67

How can statistics be unethically manipulated? Outline the specific ethical considerations associated with using statistics for social data analysis.

Question 68

Describe situations in which a variable's variability is best measured by the range,interquartile range,and standard deviation,providing at least two concrete examples of each.

Question 69

How are the properties of a normal curve important for analyzing data?

Question 70

Researchers usually evaluate skewness by eyeballing the distribution.

Question 71

When using primary data,what steps must be taken to ensure that the data quality is high,both during data entry and during data cleaning stages? What technologies facilitate both?

Question 72

Describe circumstances in which mean,median,and mode are best used as measures of central tendency,providing at least two concrete examples for each.