UCSB Comm 87 Exam 1 Definitions
frequency table Correct Ans-arrange the scores in our distribution in terms of how
frequently they occur; can be done for all levels of measurement
frequency polygon Correct Ans-line graph
histogram Correct Ans-bar graph
pie chart Correct Ans-divided into slices to illustrate numerical proportion
normal distribution Correct Ans-Bell-shaped (normal curve); perfectly symmetrical; a lot of
things tend to be disturbed this way if you have a large enough sample
positively skewed distribution Correct Ans-the long tail points to the right; scores go from
lower to higher; see a lot of lower scores
negatively skewed distribution Correct Ans-the long tail points to the left; see a lot of high
scores
bimodal distribution Correct Ans-2 humps
, mean Correct Ans-the average scores in the distribution, calculated by summing the scores
and dividing by the number of scores; Requires at least interval level of measurement for data; x̅
or M for sample mean, μ for population mean
median Correct Ans-the midpoint or middlemost score in a distribution; Requires at least
ordinal level of measurement for data
mode Correct Ans-the most frequent score in a distribution; can calculate mode for any level
of measurement
range Correct Ans-highest score minus lowest score; tells you how far apart the highest
score and the lowest score are from each other; can be used with any level of measurement
standard deviation Correct Ans-how much the scores in a distribution deviate from the mean
or average; must have interval level or ratio level of measurement; SD or (s) for sample, σ for
population
sum of squares Correct Ans-the sum, over all observations, of the squared differences of
each observation from the overall mean
variance Correct Ans-the square of the standard deviation
frequency table Correct Ans-arrange the scores in our distribution in terms of how
frequently they occur; can be done for all levels of measurement
frequency polygon Correct Ans-line graph
histogram Correct Ans-bar graph
pie chart Correct Ans-divided into slices to illustrate numerical proportion
normal distribution Correct Ans-Bell-shaped (normal curve); perfectly symmetrical; a lot of
things tend to be disturbed this way if you have a large enough sample
positively skewed distribution Correct Ans-the long tail points to the right; scores go from
lower to higher; see a lot of lower scores
negatively skewed distribution Correct Ans-the long tail points to the left; see a lot of high
scores
bimodal distribution Correct Ans-2 humps
, mean Correct Ans-the average scores in the distribution, calculated by summing the scores
and dividing by the number of scores; Requires at least interval level of measurement for data; x̅
or M for sample mean, μ for population mean
median Correct Ans-the midpoint or middlemost score in a distribution; Requires at least
ordinal level of measurement for data
mode Correct Ans-the most frequent score in a distribution; can calculate mode for any level
of measurement
range Correct Ans-highest score minus lowest score; tells you how far apart the highest
score and the lowest score are from each other; can be used with any level of measurement
standard deviation Correct Ans-how much the scores in a distribution deviate from the mean
or average; must have interval level or ratio level of measurement; SD or (s) for sample, σ for
population
sum of squares Correct Ans-the sum, over all observations, of the squared differences of
each observation from the overall mean
variance Correct Ans-the square of the standard deviation
