Exercise 21
1. What type of measurement method is the Memorial Symptom Assessment Scale (MSAS)
that was used to collect data in the Eckerblad et al. (2014) study? The data collected with
this scale are at what level of measurement? Provide a rationale for your answer.
a. The MSAS collected data at the nominal level, yes or no.
b. For every “yes” answer, an ordinal level of measurement was used to rank
frequency, severity and distress.
2. What statistical technique was computed to determine differences between the moderate
and severe airflow groups for physical and psychological symptoms burden scores? What
was the rationale for using this technique?
a. Mann-Whitney U was used as the data was collected at the ordinal level and
therefore did not meet the assumptions for a parametric test.
3. What statistics were used to describe the physical and psychological symptoms presented
in Table 3? Were these statistics appropriate for describing the MSAS symptoms burden
scores? Provide a rationale for your answer.
a. Mann-Whitney U was used appropriately to describe the data as the MSAS burden
scores were collected at the ordinal level for frequency, severity and distress.
4. What statistics were more appropriate to describe the physical and
psychological symptoms in Table 3? Provide a rationale for your answer. a. The Mann-
Whitney U is appropriate for data analysis as the
1. What type of measurement method is the Memorial Symptom Assessment Scale (MSAS)
that was used to collect data in the Eckerblad et al. (2014) study? The data collected with
this scale are at what level of measurement? Provide a rationale for your answer.
a. The MSAS collected data at the nominal level, yes or no.
b. For every “yes” answer, an ordinal level of measurement was used to rank
frequency, severity and distress.
2. What statistical technique was computed to determine differences between the moderate
and severe airflow groups for physical and psychological symptoms burden scores? What
was the rationale for using this technique?
a. Mann-Whitney U was used as the data was collected at the ordinal level and
therefore did not meet the assumptions for a parametric test.
3. What statistics were used to describe the physical and psychological symptoms presented
in Table 3? Were these statistics appropriate for describing the MSAS symptoms burden
scores? Provide a rationale for your answer.
a. Mann-Whitney U was used appropriately to describe the data as the MSAS burden
scores were collected at the ordinal level for frequency, severity and distress.
4. What statistics were more appropriate to describe the physical and
psychological symptoms in Table 3? Provide a rationale for your answer. a. The Mann-
Whitney U is appropriate for data analysis as the
