Using a median split to transform a continuous variable into a categorical variable is poor practice because
A) doing so makes dubious assumptions about the similarity of participants in the resulting groups.
B) the classifications resulting from median splits may exhibit low reliability.
C) using median splits can reduce the statistical power of the data analysis.
D) of all these issues.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Using a median split to transform a continuous variable into a categorical variable is poor practice due to all of the issues listed (making dubious assumptions about similarity, low reliability, and reduced statistical power). It is generally better to use more meaningful and principled methods for categorizing or analyzing continuous variables.

Using a Median Split to Transform a Continuous Variable into a Categorical