Lecture Conducting and reading research in health and human performance (4/e): Chapter 13 - Ted A. Baumgartner, Larry D. Hensley

Chapter 13 - Descriptive data analysis. The main contents of the chapter consist of the following: Statistics, 3 basic steps in data analysis, descriptive statistics, types of scores, scales of measurement, computer analysis,...

Chapter 13

Descriptive Data Analysis

1 Select the appropriate statistical technique

2 Apply the technique

3 Interpret the result

 Continuous

 a continuous progression from the smallest possible 

amount to the largest possible amount, with  measurement theoretically possible at any point along  the continuum; may be expressed as a fraction (e.g.,  height, weight, temperature, strength)

 Discrete

 measurement and classification are possible only in 

whole units; no fractional units (e.g., size of family,  number of schools in country)

• Dichotomous – 2 category variable (yes/no; alive/dead)

 Merely classifies objects in accordance with 

similarities and differences with respect to some property; no hierarchy of scores 

0 1 2 3 4 5 6

0 1 2 3 4 5 6

Normal Curve

Symmetrical Curves

Distribution Shapes

 Correlational Statistics

 Correlation is a family of statistical techniques that is 

used to determine the relationship between 2 or more  variables