Correlations

• what is a correlation?

  shows the strength AND direction of an association between two or more co-variables

  plotted on a scatter graph
• what is a positive correlation?

  a one co-variable increases so does the other

  
• What is a negative correlation?

  As one co-variable increases the other decreases

  
• what is a zero correlation?

  there is no relationship between the co-variables

  
• What are co-variables?

  Variables that are investigated within a correlation

  investigates an association between variables
• what are the strengths of correlations?

  + they assess the strength and direction

  + provide quantifiable measure of how variables are measured

  + quick and economical to carry out —> secondary data can be used

  + no need for a controlled evnironment
• what are the weaknesses of correlations?

  ~ only tells us how variables are retaliated and not WHY

  ~ untested variables may cause they relationship —> intervening variables

  ~ can be misinterpreted