Descriptive Statistics

• What are descriptive statistics used for?

  To analyze data using tables, graphs, and summary statistics
• What are the measures of central tendency?

  • Mean: arithmetic average
  • Median: central value after arranging data
  • Mode: most frequently occurring value
• How is the mean calculated?

  By dividing the total of all values by the number of values
• How is the median determined?

  By arranging data from lowest to highest and finding the central value
• What is the mode?

  The most frequently occurring value in a set of data
• What are the strengths of the mean, median, and mode?

  Strengths:

  • Mean: uses all values, good for interval data, not affected by extreme scores
  • Median: good for ordinal data
  • Mode: useful for nominal data (data in categories)
• What are the limitations of the mean, median, and mode?

  Limitations:

  • Mean: influenced by outliers, can be unrepresentative
  • Median: not as sensitive as mean, does not use all data
  • Mode: not useful when there are several modes