MATH 399N Statistics

Week 1 Discussion: Descriptive Statistics

Required Resources

Read/review the following resources for this activity:

• Textbook: Chapter 1 (All Sections), 2 (Sections 2.5 - 2.7)


• Lesson


• Minimum of 1 scholarly source

Book: OpenStax, Introductory Statistics. OpenStax CNX. Aug 23, 2019

https://openstax.org/books/introductory-statistics/pages/1-introduction

Initial Post Instructions

When data is collected, the most common calculations computed are the Measures of Central Tendency, mean, median, and mode. It is important to know how to compute these values and it is also extremely important to know what these values mean in context of the data set.

Use the internet to find a data set. Key terms to search: Free Public Data Sets and Medical Data Sets.

1. Introduce your Data Set and Cite the Source.


2. Why was this data interesting to you?


3. Calculate measures of central tendency (Mean, Median & Mode) and measures of variation (Range and Standard Deviation) for your data. Write a sentence for each calculation explaining what that value means in context of your data.
   
   

Writing Requirements:

• APA format for in-text citations and list of references

Criteria

Content: Addresses all aspects of the initial discussion question(s), applying experiences, knowledge, and understanding regarding all weekly concepts.

Evidence & Sources: Integrates evidence to support discussion from assigned readings** OR online lessons, AND at least one outside scholarly source.*** Sources are credited.*

Professional Communication: Presents information using clear and concise language in an organized manner (minimal errors in English grammar, spelling, syntax, and punctuation).

Notes

Credited means stating where the information came from (specific article, text, or lesson). Examples: our text discusses...., The information from our lesson states..., Smith (2010) claimed that..., Mary Manners (personal communication, November 2017)...

**Assigned readings are those listed on the syllabus or assignments page as required reading. This may include text readings, required articles, or required websites.

***Scholarly source - per APA Guidelines, only scholarly sources should be used in assignments. These include peer-reviewed publications, government reports, or sources written by a professional or scholar in the field. Wikipedia, Wikis, .com websites or blogs should not be used as anyone can add information to these sites. For the discussions, reputable internet sources such as websites by government agencies (.gov) and respected organizations (.org) can be counted as scholarly sources. Outside sources do not include assigned required readings.