Becoming Acquainted With Statistical Concepts

A set of flashcards covering key statistical concepts and terms.

Statistics

A way of interpreting a collection of observations.

Descriptive techniques

Statistical methods that summarize or describe the characteristics of a data set.

Correlational techniques

Statistical methods used to determine the relationship between two or more variables.

Central tendency

Measures that represent the center or typical value of a data set, including mean, median, and mode.

Mean

The average of a set of values, calculated by dividing the sum of all values by the number of values.

Median

The midpoint of a data set, separating the higher half from the lower half.

Mode

The value that appears most frequently in a data set.

Standard deviation

A measure of variability that indicates the average distance of each data point from the mean.

Range

The difference between the highest and lowest values in a data set.

Random sampling

A technique where each individual has an equal chance of being selected, often using tables of random numbers.

Stratified random sampling

A sampling method where the population is divided into subgroups and random samples are taken from each.

Systematic sampling

A method of sampling where every nth individual is selected from a list.

Parametric tests

Statistical tests that assume a normal distribution and equal variances among groups.

Nonparametric tests

Statistical tests that do not assume a normal distribution.

Normal distribution

A bell-shaped distribution that is symmetrical around the mean.

Skewness

A measure of the asymmetry of the distribution of values.

Kurtosis

A measure of the 'tailedness' of the probability distribution of a real-valued random variable.

Correlation

A statistical measure that describes the degree to which two variables move in relation to each other.

Causation

The action of causing something; in statistics, correlation does not imply causation.