POLS 3650 Study Guide - Final Guide: Central Tendency, List Of Statistical Packages, Statistic

• School: University of Guelph
• Department: Political Science
• Course: POLS 3650
• Professor: Edward Koning

Document Summary

Point estimate (sample statistic) x (x bar) s p n: point estimates symbols are usually lower-case latin letters, parameter values symbols are usually greek letters or upper-case latin letters. Inferential statistics involve drawing conclusions about parameter values on the basis of point estimates: this is only possible if the sample is random. Operationalization: for the purposes of quantitative data analysis, all values need to be coded (i. e. , translated. Identifying unit of analysis, indicators, and possible values (or attributes) into numbers. Interval categorization and ranking and equal distance. Ratio: level of measurement is a property of the operationalized indicator, not of the abstract. Key points: variables can be measured at three levels of measurement: nominal, ordinal, and interval/ratio, ordinal variables can be treated as interval/ratio when they assume many possible values, dichotomous variables can be treated as interval/ratio. Interval/ratio variables can be further broken down into discrete and continuous variables.