Basic Statistical Terms:

Statistics: refers to the sample

A means by which a set of data may be described and interpreted
in a meaningful way.
A method by which data can be analyzed and inferences and
conclusions drawn.
Population: All of the possible subjects within a group.
Sample: A part of the population The average result of a test, survey, or experiment. / The arithmetic
average population mean =  sample = X
Random Sample: Every member of a specified population has an equal
chance of being selected
Example: Heights of five people: 5 feet 6 inches, 5 feet 7 inches, 5 feet
Ungrouped data: Raw scores presented as they were recorded; no 10 inches, 5 feet 8 inches, 5 feet 8 inches.
attempt made to arrange them into a more meaningful or convenient
form. The sum is: 339 inches.
Grouped Data: Scores that have been arranged in some manner such as Divide 339 by 5 people = 67.8 inches or 5 feet 7.8 inches.
from high to low or into classes or categories to give more meaning to
the data or to facilitate further calculations. The mean (average) is 5 feet 7.8 inches.
Frequency Distributions: A method of grouping data; a table that
presents the raw scores or intervals of scores and the frequencies with Median- The score that divides the results in half - the middle value./
which the raw scores occur. The point in the distribution where 50% of the scores lie above and 50% lie
"N" is usually used to indicate the number of subjects in a study. below it. The midpoint or 50th percentile
Example: If you have 76 participants in a study, N=76.
Examples:
The Three Ms
Odd amount of numbers: Find the median of 5 feet 6 inches, 5 feet 7
Mean inches, 5 feet 10 inches, 5 feet 8 inches, 5 feet 8 inches.
Line up your numbers from smallest to largest: 5 feet 6 inches, 5 feet 7
inches, 5 feet 8 inches, 5 feet 8 inches, 5 feet 10 inches.
The median is: 5 feet 8 inches (the number in the middle).
Even amount of numbers: Find the median of 7, 2, 43, 16, 11, 5
Line up your numbers in order: 2, 5, 7, 11, 16, 43
Add the 2 middle numbers and divide by 2: 7 + 11 = 18 ÷ 2 = 9
The median is 9.
Mode- The most common result (the most frequent value) of a test,
survey, or experiment.
Example:
Find the mode of 5 feet 6 inches, 5 feet 7 inches, 5 feet 10 inches, 5 feet
8 inches, 5 feet 8 inches.
Put the numbers in order to make it easier to visualize: 5 feet 6 inches, 5
feet 7 inches, 5 feet 8 inches, 5 feet 8 inches, 5 feet 10 inches.
The mode is 5 feet 8 inches (it occurs the most - two times).
Significant Difference
Significance - The measure of whether the results of research were due
to chance. The more statistical significance assigned to an observation,
the less likely the observation occurred by chance.
p-value- The way in which significance is reported statistically (i.e.
p<.01 means that there is a less than 1% chance that the results of a
study are due to random chance). Note that in general p-values need to
be fairly low (.01 and .05 are common) in order for a study to make any
strong claims based on the results.
Example:
 A study had one group of students (Group A) study using notes
they took in class; the other group (Group B) studied using notes
they took after class using a recording of the lecture. Students in
Group A scored higher on a test than Group B. The study reports
a significance of p<.01 for the results.
 This means that whatever the reason students who took notes in
class did better on the test, there is only a 0 - 1% chance that the
results are due to some random factor (such as Group A having
smarter students than Group B).
Correlation
Correlation - The degree to which two factors appear to be related. Five students score 84, 80, 78, 75, 73 on a test their mean is 78.
Correlation should not be confused with causation. Just because two
factors are reported as being correlated, you cannot say that one factor Another group of students scored: 98, 95, 78, 65, 54, their mean is also
causes the other. For example, you might find a correlation between 78.
going to the library at least 40 times per semester and getting high scores Obvious difference in variability of their scores.
on tests. However, you cannot say from these findings what about going
to the library, or what about people who go to libraries often, is Range- Simplest measure or variability (weak).
responsible for higher test scores. -Based on the two extreme scores.
r-value- The way in which correlation is reported statistically (a number -Generally a large range = a large variability.
between -1 and +1). Generally, r-values should be >+/-.3 in order to
-Difference of the highest and lowest scores in a data set.
report a significant correlation.
Formula: high score - low score + 1
 An r-value of -1 indicates a extreme negative correlation between
two variables - as one variable's value tends to increase, the other Standard Deviation - One of the best measures of variability.
variable's value tends to decrease. -Reflects the magnitude of the deviations of the scores from the mean.
 An r-value of +1 indicates an extreme positive correlation
between two variables - as one variable's value tends to increase, Variance:
the other variable's value also tends to increase.
The mean of the squared deviations from the mean.
 An r-value of 0 means there is no correlation at all between the
elements being studied. The standard deviation squared.
Computer as part of an ANOVA procedure;
Often referred to as the mean square (MS)
Measures of variability:
-Scatter or spread of scores from the central tendency.
-Tells us how heterogeneous or homogeneous a group is.
-Groups may have the same mean or median but differ considerably in
variability.
Example: