Deck 11: Descriptions of Quantitative Data

Question 1

Which of the following represents the process in which researchers turn data into information?

A) Data analysis.
B) Hypothesis testing.
C) Probability values.
D) Normal curves.

Answer 1

A

Question 2

Which is an important question the researcher will try to answer through data analysis?

A) Is this qualitative research?
B) What is the null hypothesis?
C) What is typical or common in the data?
D) What is the probability of a type I error?

Answer 2

C

Question 3

Which is an important question the researcher will try to answer through data analysis?

A) Is this quantitative research?
B) What is the alternative hypothesis?
C) What is the extent of difference or variation reflected in the data?
D) What is the probability of a type II error?

Answer 3

C

Question 4

Although data collection and preparation are major achievements, the true value of the research comes in the form of:

A) Hypothesis construction.
B) Statistics.
C) Analysis and reporting.
D) Verstehen.

Question 5

Checking to see if information has been entered and coded correctly is called data:

A) Analysis.
B) Verification.
C) Stratification.
D) Curving.

Question 6

The first step in the data verification is:

A) Ordering the data.
B) Examining the data graphically.
C) Recoding data.
D) Computing scales.

Question 7

Having a computer arrange data in an ascending or descending order, column by column, is called a(n):

A) Frequency distribution.
B) Array.
C) Level of measurement.
D) Nominal.

Question 8

Which provides a count of how many times each variable value is represented in the database?

A) Standard deviation.
B) Normal curve.
C) Frequency distribution.
D) Descriptive statistic.

Question 9

A frequency distribution that includes "frequency," "percent," "valid percent," and "cumulative percent" would be appropriately used with which type of data?

A) Ratio, interval, ordinal, and nominal.
B) Ratio, interval, and ordinal.
C) Ratio and interval.
D) Ratio.

Question 10

Data points that are off by themselves and isolated from the other data points are called:

A) Independent variables.
B) Outliers.
C) Modifiers.
D) Intervening.

Question 11

When we detect an outlier, we should:

A) Locate the value in our database.
B) Find the associated record identification number.
C) Determine whether the data were entered correctly.
D) All of the above.

Question 12

When a category of a variable has very few cases in it, we might conclude that the

A) Null hypothesis is true.
B) Categories are not well conceptualized.
C) Probability value is too low.
D) Independent variables outnumber the dependent variables.

Question 13

When a researcher decides to collapse data, the researcher should:

A) Categorize the data.
B) Retest the null hypothesis.
C) Examine the review of literature.
D) Create decision rules.

Question 14

The process of changing one value to another is referred to as:

A) Data selection.
B) Recoding.
C) Stratification.
D) Clustering.

Question 15

A measure used to summarize the many numbers included in the database into fewer numbers is called a:

A) Hypothesis.
B) Level of measurement.
C) Descriptive statistic.
D) Central tendency.

Question 16

Which is the value that divides a distribution in half so that 50% of the data points fall below this value and 50% above it?

A) Mode.
B) Median.
C) Mean.
D) All of the above.

Question 17

Which data is MOST appropriate for the use of the mean?

A) Number of children.
B) Race.
C) Social security numbers.
D) Marital status.

Question 18

Which BEST enables a social worker to describe how the data differ or vary from what is common?

A) Measures of variability.
B) Kurtosis.
C) Level of measurement.
D) Central tendency.

Question 19

Which is a statistical measure of the amount by which a set of values differs from the mean?

A) Kurtosis.
B) The normal distribution.
C) Standard deviation.
D) The skew curve.

Question 20

Histograms and line graphs are recommended for

A) All types of data.
B) Nominal data.
C) Ordinal data.
D) Interval and ratio data.

Question 21

Bar charts are recommended for

A) All types of data.
B) Nominal and ordinal data.
C) Interval data.
D) Ratio data.

Question 22

Using the nominal data provided below, order the data by constructing a frequency distribution.
n = 190
Variable = Ethnicity; categories: African American = 38 (20%), Native American = 12 (6.32%), Asian/Pacific Islander = 24 (12.63%), Latino = 61 (32.11%), Caucasian = 45 (23.68%), Other = 8 (4.21%), Declined = 2 (1.05%)

Question 23

Using the ordinal data provided below, order the data by constructing a frequency distribution.
n = 89
Variable = Basic skills in working with older adults are important to my career plans.
Categories: Strongly agree = 10 (11.24%), Agree =29 (32.58%), Neither =13 (14.61%), Disagree = 20 (22.47), Strongly Disagree = 18 (22.22%)

Question 24

Discuss two reasons why a researcher might want to recode data categories.

Question 25

Describe the steps used in computing a scale from multiple variables.

Question 26

How might a researcher assess the internal consistency of a scale?

Question 27

Describe the difference among the three measures of central tendency.

Question 28

Ten individuals were sampled regarding their age, yielding the following results: 25, 26, 27, 28, 30, 31, 32, 32, 33, 86. The sum of these 10 numbers is 350. Given this information, answer the following questions:
a. What is the mode of the distribution?
b. What is the median of the distribution?
c. What is the mean of the distribution?
d. Which of the 10 values, if any, would you consider an outlier?
e. How does the outlier influence the calculation of each measure of central tendency?
f. Which measure of central tendency best represents the typical age of those in the distribution?
g. What can you surmise about the limitations of measures of central tendency based on this exercise?

Question 29

What does the standard deviation tell you about a distribution?

Question 30

Describe the characteristics of the normal distribution. If we know that a distribution is normal, what does this allow us to do?

Question 31

Compare and contrast three ways to report a descriptive analysis.