Assessment 1 Instructions: Descriptive Statistics
• PRINT
• Use statistical software to create, interpret, and analyze two histograms in a Word document.
Introduction
Descriptive statistics are just what they sound like, statistics that allow you to describe or summarize the data with regard to such things as their distribution and their spread. Descriptive statistics provide you with a picture of your data while inferential statistics (which we will discuss in subsequent assessments) allow you to draw conclusions about relationships between variables or differences between groups.
A solid understanding of descriptive statistics is foundational to grasping the concepts presented in inferential statistics. This assessment measures your understanding of key elements of descriptive statistics.
Your first statistical software assessment includes two sections in which you will do the following:
1. Create two histograms.
2. Calculate measures of central tendency and dispersion.
This will give you some experience with the data set.
Key Details and Instructions
• Submit your assessment as a Word document.
• Refer to the JASP Step-by-Step: Histograms and Descriptive Statistics [PDF] document for additional help in completing this assessment.
• View JASP Speedrun: Descriptive Statistics [Video] for a brief tutorial on this assessment.
• As you work on this assessment, refer to the 7864 Data Set Instructions [PDF] file for information on variables used in this course.
• Provide a title for your document and your name.
Download the 7864 data set, grades.jasp, which is a sample data set, and save it to your computer. The data represent a teacher’s recording of student demographics and performance on quizzes and a final exam. For this assessment, you will create and describe two histograms and a descriptives table using these data.
Section 1: Histograms for Visual Interpretation
Using the final and lowup variables in your grades.jasp data set, create two histograms and paste them into your Word document:
Variable Definition
Lowup lower division =1; Upper division =2
Final Final exam: number of correct answers
Variables and Definitions
Create:
• A histogram for lower division.
• A histogram for upper division.
Briefly describe what a visual inspection of this output tells you about the shape of the distributions.
Section 2: Calculate Measures of Central Tendency and Dispersion
Using the grades.jasp file, compute descriptive statistics, including mean, standard deviation, skewness, and kurtosis for gpa and quiz3.
Variable Definition
GPA Previous grade point average
Quiz3 Quiz 3: number of correct answers
Variables and Definitions
Create a descriptives table and paste it into your Word document.
Under the table:
• Report the mean, standard deviation, skewness, and kurtosis for GPA and quiz3.
• Briefly describe what skewness and kurtosis tell you about these data with regard to normality.
Submit both sections of your assessment as an attached Word document.
Software
The following statistical analysis software is required to complete your assessments in this course:
• Jeffreys’s Amazing Statistics Program (JASP).
Refer to the Tools and Software: JASP page on Campus for general information. Make sure that your statistical software is downloaded, installed, and running properly on your computer.
Competencies Measured
By successfully completing this assessment, you will demonstrate your proficiency in the course competencies through the following assessment scoring guide criteria:
• Competency 4: Interpret the results of statistical analyses.
o Below the output, provide an accurate interpretation of histograms for lower division students and upper division students.
o Below the output, report descriptive statistics and interpret skew and kurtosis values.
• Competency 5: Apply a statistical programs procedure to data.
o Provide histograms for lower division students and upper division students.
o Provide a descriptive statistics table.
Sorry, as an AI language model, I am not able to perform tasks that require file downloading and statistical analysis software. However, I can provide you with guidance on how to approach your assessment.
To complete your assessment, you will need to follow the instructions provided and use statistical software, such as JASP, to create histograms and calculate measures of central tendency and dispersion for the given variables in the grades.jasp data set.
For section 1, you will need to create two histograms using the final and lowup variables in the data set. The histograms should be separated by lowup variable value (lower division and upper division) and pasted into your Word document. You should also briefly describe the shape of the distributions based on the visual inspection of the histograms.
For section 2, you will need to compute descriptive statistics for the GPA and Quiz3 variables in the data set, including mean, standard deviation, skewness, and kurtosis. You will need to create a descriptives table and paste it into your Word document, and report the mean, standard deviation, skewness, and kurtosis values for GPA and Quiz3. Additionally, you should briefly describe what skewness and kurtosis tell you about these data with regard to normality.
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