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Chapter 7: Data collection & descriptive
statistics
1. Data collection
2. Descriptive statistics
- Mean
- Median
- Mode
3. Measures of variability
- Range
- Standard deviation (s)
4. Distributions
- Standard scores (z scores)
1. Data collection
4 steps
The construction of a data collection form used
to organize the data you collect (p. 156)
The designation of the coding strategy used to
represent data on a data collection form (p. 159)
The collection of the actual data
Entry onto the data collection form
1. Data collection
10 commandments of data collection
1. get permission from your institutional review board (IRB)
to collect data.
2. think about the type of data you will have to collect to
answer your question
3. think about where to obtain the data.
4. make sure the data collection form is clear and easy to use
5. make a duplicate copy of the data file and keep it in a
separate location
6. do not rely on other people to collect or transfer your data
7. schedule when and where to collect the data.
8. cultivate possible sources for your participant pool
9. try to follow up on subjects/participants who missed their
testing session or interview
10. never discard original data.
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2. Descriptive statistics
Distribution of scores: histogram
Compare different distributions of scores
Measures of central tendency
• Mean
• Median
• Mode
2. Descriptive statistics
Mean
1. Add all the scores in the group to obtain a total.
2. Divide the total of all the scores by the number of
observations.
E.g.,
• The data: 55, 41, 46, 56, 58, 41, 50, 35
• The mean: 47.3
2. Descriptive statistics
Median: the score or the point in a distribution above
which one-half of the scores lie.
1. Order the scores from lowest to highest.
2. Count the number of scores.
3. Select the middle score as the median.
E.g.1
- The data: 31, 33, 35, 38, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51
- The median: 43
E.g.2
- The data: 31, 33, 35, 38, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50
- The median: 42.5
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2. Descriptive statistics
Mode: The score that occurs most frequently.
E.g.
• The data: 58, 27, 24, 41, 27, 26, 41, 53, 14, 29, 41,
53, 47, 28, 56
• The mode: 41
3. Measures of variability
Variability
The degree of spread or dispersion that
characterizes a group of scores, and it is the degree to
which a set of scores differs from some measure of
central tendency, most often the mean.
Measures of variability
Range
Standard deviation
3. Measures of variability
The range
The difference between the highest and the
lowest scores in a distribution.
E.g.,
• The data: 31 33 35 38 40 40 41 41 41 42 43 44 46
47 48 48 49 49 50 51
• The range: 20 (51-31)
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3. Measures of variability
The standard deviation (s)
The average amount that each of the individual
scores varies from the mean of the set of scores.
3. Measures of variability
The standard deviation (s)
• The data: 13, 14, 15, 12, 13, 14, 13, 16, 15, 9 (n = 10)
• The standard deviation: = 1.95
3. Measures of variability
The standard deviation
The larger the standard deviation, the more variable
the set of scores.
E.g.
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3. Measures of variability
The standard deviation and the mean
4. Distributions
Standard scores (z scores)
Scores that have the same reference point and the
same standard deviation.
z = dividing the amount that an individual score
deviates from the mean by the standard deviation
4. Distributions
Standard scores (z scores)
Z scores allow for the comparison of scores from
different distributions, which enables accurate and
straightforward comparisons.
Z scores not only are essential for comparing raw
scores from different distributions but they are also
associated with a particular likelihood that a raw
score will appear in a distribution.
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Study guide
1. Present the 4 steps and the 10
commandments of data collection
2. Know how to calculate/identify mean, mode,
median and standard deviation