Deck 8: Elementary Quantitative Data Analysis

Question 1

Histograms are used to display the distribution of quantitative variables that vary along a continuum.

Answer 1

True

Question 2

The process of checking data for errors after the data has been entered in a computer file is called error cleansing.

Answer 2

False

Question 3

Measures of central tendency assess the extent to which cases are spread out through the distribution or clustered in just one location.

Answer 3

False

Question 4

Use the following to answer questions 16-18:
In each set, match a concept from Group A to a definition or example from Group B.
Measures of central tendency and variation
Group A
1. Mean
2. Median
3. Mode
4. Range
5. Standard deviation

Group B
a. The point that divides the distribution in half
b. The average squared deviation of each case from the mean
c. The most frequent value in a distribution
d. The distance from the mean that covers about two-thirds of cases
e. The highest value in a distribution minus the lowest value plus one
f. The arithmetic average of the distribution

Question 5

Use the following to answer questions 16-18:
In each set, match a concept from Group A to a definition or example from Group B.
Data Displays
Group A
1. Bar chart
2. Histogram
3. Frequency polygon
4. Normal curve

Group B
a. A distribution containing solid bars separated by spaces
b. A continuous line connecting points that represent the number or percentage of cases at each value
c. A distribution presented as fractions of a whole
d. A bell-shaped distribution centered on the mean
e. A distribution of adjacent bars

Question 6

A frequency polygon is the most relevant graph for displaying discrete, nominal variables.

Question 7

Use the following to answer questions 16-18:
In each set, match a concept from Group A to a definition or example from Group B.
Elements of a Crosstabulation
Group A
1. body of the table
2. cell
3. marginals
4. column
5. base number (N)

Group B
a. Typically divided into categories of the independent variable
b. Combinations of row and column values that represent unique combinations of values
c. The total number cases in the distribution
d. Typically divided into categories of the dependent variable
e. Part of table between row and column labels and row and column totals
f. Frequency distributions for independent and dependent variables

Question 8

Outliers may render a range useless for determining the distribution of a variable.

Question 9

Nominal variables should be displayed on:

A) Bar charts
B) Histograms
C) Frequency polygons
D) Both a and b
E) All of the above

Question 10

Crosstabulations show relationships between ____________, while elaboration considers _____________.

A) one variable, two variables
B) two variables, three or more variables,
C) independent variables, independent and dependent variables
D) categoric variables, numeric variables
E) nominal variables, ratio variables

Question 11

The measure of central tendency most appropriate for nominal variables is the mode.

Question 12

Standard deviation is defined as the square root of the variance.

Question 13

Data cleaning occurs before data entry.

Question 14

A normal distribution is generally bell-shaped.

Question 15

A frequency polygon contains solid bars separated by spaces.

Question 16

In distributions with an even number of cases, the median is computed by taking the arithmetic average between the two middle cases.

Question 17

Means are affected by skewness, while medians are not.

Question 18

Descriptive statistics estimate the degree of confidence in generalizations made from a sample to a population.

Question 19

Chi square is an inferential statistic.

Question 20

Elaboration analysis demonstrations the distribution of variables on x and y axes.

Question 21

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

A) 1
B) 2
C) 3
D) 4
E) 5

Question 22

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

A) Begin the graph of a quantitative variable at zero on both axes.
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.
E) When possible, use graphics instead of bars.

Question 23

The presence of outliers suggests what about the shape of a variable's distribution?

A) It is normal
B) It is skewed
C) It is unimodal
D) It is bimodal
E) It is multimodal

Question 24

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

A) 0
B) 1
C) 2
D) 3
E) 4

Question 25

What statistic is used to determine whether a significant relationship exists between two variables in a crosstab?

A) Alpha
B) Beta
C) Gamma
D) Delta
E) Epsilon

Question 26

In which of the following can you control for an extraneous variable?

A) Bar chart
B) Frequency distribution
C) Frequency polygon
D) Elaboration analysis
E) Crosstabulation

Question 27

In a normal curve, about what percent of all cases falls within plus or minus two standard deviations?

A) 10%
B) 25%
C) 50%
D) 68%
E) 95%

Question 28

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

A) 0
B) 1
C) 2
D) 3
E) 4

Question 29

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
E) 4

Question 30

In a crosstabs, the cells display:

A) Counts
B) Percentages
C) Categories of the dependent variable
D) Both a and b
E) All of the above

Question 31

The process of checking data carefully for errors is known as:

A) Data reduction
B) Data cleaning
C) Data dredging
D) Data definition
E) Data analysis

Question 32

Which summary statistic should be used for nominal variables?

A) Range
B) Variance
C) Mean
D) Median
E) Mode

Question 33

When researchers analyze data that they did not collect, such as the General Social Survey, they are conducting what type of research?

A) Primary research
B) Data cleaning
C) Historical research
D) Secondary research
E) Repetition

Question 34

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
E) The frequency

Question 35

What measure of variability is most appropriate for a ratio variable with many outliers?

A) Median
B) Range
C) Interquartile range
D) Variance
E) Standard deviation

Question 36

The diagram below is a:

A) Mean
B) Mode
C) Bar chart
D) Frequency polygon
E) Histogram

Question 37

The diagram below is a:

A) Mean
B) Mode
C) Bar chart
D) Frequency polygon
E) Histogram

Question 38

The diagram below is a

A) Mean
B) Mode
C) Bar chart
D) Frequency polygon
E) Histogram

Question 39

Which of the following data displays would be most appropriate for displaying the distribution of gender (male, female, other)?

A) Mean
B) Median
C) Bar chart
D) Frequency polygon
E) Histogram

Question 40

Which of the following data displays represent data not as bars, but as connected points in a single line?

A) Mean
B) Mode
C) Bar chart
D) Frequency polygon
E) Histogram

Question 41

A type of descriptive statistic that summarizes the strength of an association:

A) Measure of Significance
B) Measure of Central Tendency
C) Measure of Variation
D) Measure of Association
E) None of the above

Question 42

A student constructs the following frequency distribution based on this research hypothesis: A person's level of education predicts that person's level of prejudice. Find three things wrong with the table. Rewrite the table correctly, assuming that the sample had exactly 100 people in each category.
Table 1.1: Percent of respondents' level of prejudice by level of education.

Question 43

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

Question 44

Using the table below, explain the hypothesis presented and describe the association between the variables in the following table (data are hypothetical):
Level of Support for Eliminating Aid to Families with Dependent Children (AFDC) by Education

Question 45

Compute three measures of central tendency and two measures of variability for the following data set: When asked their age, ten college students responded: 21, 19, 20, 18, 18, 19, 33, 22, 19, 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 46

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?
Answer Key

Question 47

When a researcher has a distribution in which two nonadjacent categories have about the same number of cases, this is referred to as a:

A) Mean
B) Bimodal
C) Binomial
D) Unimodal
E) Frequency

Question 48

Which of the following is false about standard deviations?

A) It tells how wide the variation of any set of cases is.
B) It is the square root of the variance.
C) It is the square root of the average squared deviation of each case from the mean.
D) It is the preferred measure of variability when a variable in normally distributed.
E) It is a measure of central tendency.

Question 49

Consider the relationship between gender, wages, and years of experience on the job. Draw a table in which you propose a hypothesis that involves a bivariate relationship between two of these variables, but considers the third as an extraneous variable (obviously, the cells will remain empty in this table). Explain your rationale for choosing the extraneous variable.

Question 50

What does statistical significance mean with regard to the association between two variables?

A) Association is likely to be due to chance.
B) Association is not likely to be due to chance.
C) Association is likely to be due to a third variable.
D) Association is not likely to be due to a third variable.
E) Association exists and is deemed to be strong.

Question 51

What three features are important for describing the shape of a variable's distribution?

Question 52

John is using GSS data in order to conduct his study so that he doesn't have to collect his own data. He will most likely be conducting:

A) Secondary data analysis
B) Data cleaning
C) Qualitative data analysis
D) Primary data analysis
E) None of the above

Question 53

A graph with a normal distribution looks like which of the following?

A) A balance beam with two equal size bags on either side of the median
B) A box with a wide base and short sides
C) A bell with a hump in the middle and sloping sides
D) A pyramid with broad based extension across the range of cases
E) A barbell with equal weight on either side

Question 54

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 55

What is the purpose of using statistics in social science? What are the advantages and disadvantages of relying on statistics?

Question 56

Which of the following would best illustrate marital status in a diagram as explained in the text?

A) Histogram
B) Frequency polygon
C) Box plot
D) Bar chart
E) Pie chart

Question 57

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

Question 58

Which of the following is not a measure of variation?

A) Range
B) Mean
C) Standard deviation
D) Variance
E) Normal distribution

Question 59

Answer the following from the data presented below: What is the range for GPA in the sample? What is the mean age of the sample? What is the modal age of the sample? What is the median age of the sample? What is the mean age of the male sub-sample? What is the median GPA of juniors? What is the modal major of the sample? Based on means, how much higher is the male GPA than the female GPA? What is the modal class of the sample? What is the median class of the sample?