Week 14 - Data Analysis

Why do scientists use statistics to analyze their data?

• To summarize large datasets into manageable forms

• To confuse other scientists

• To create patterns within the data

• To make their data look more complicated

What is the purpose of statistical methods in scientific research?

• To generalize findings beyond the sample data set

• To make unreliable predictions

• To hide patterns and trends within the data

• To make the data more confusing

Scientists want to generalize their findings because ...

• they want to help solve problems of large groups of people or things and not just their sample

• they want to dumb down their findings and summarize them even if they draw wrong conclusions

• their data has error and generalizing reduces error

• when they calculate average, they forget to divide by the number of things

How do statistics help in assessing the reliability and validity of experimental results?

• By providing a clearer understanding of the confidence level associated with the results

• By making the outcomes due to chance

• By making the results more uncertain

• By hiding the true outcomes

What does statistical analysis ensure in scientific research?

• Inability to draw meaningful conclusions

• Rigorous and objective conclusions based on data

• Subjectivity and confusion

• Random and unreliable conclusions

What does statistics help scientists determine about the differences between numbers?

• It makes all differences statistically significant

• It hides the differences

• It tells if the differences are statistically significant or just due to chance

• It makes the differences more confusing

What is misleading about this bar graph? (Choose the best answer.)

• The frequencies are unrealistic for Math and Science.

• This type of data would be better displayed in a dot plot.

• The y-axis starts at 100.

• The individual bars are too far apart and should be touching one another.

Number of Pizza Toppings is an example of...

• A Quantitative Variable

• A Categorical Variable

• A Distribution Variable

• An Individual Variable

Pizza Toppings liked by teenagers is an example of...

• A Quantitative Variable

• A Categorical Variable

• A Distribution Variable

• An Individual Variable

What is the minimum value?

• 64
• 58
• 66
• 60