SOC 390 SPSS Assignment Variability

Question 1

1 / 1 pts

This assignment (and the questions that follow) focuses on the “age” variable in spss, which was measured by asking students to report their age in years. To have SPSS help you learn about this variable, go to Analyze > Descriptives > Descriptives. Move “age” into the variables box, then click Options and make sure the following boxes are checked: Mean, Std. Deviation, Minimum, Maximum, Variance, Range. Click Continue and then click OK.

According to SPSS, what is the range of age reported by students?

35

18

5.173

23.29

26.764

53

220

Question 2

1 / 1 pts

Using the output that SPSS provides, you know that _______ people provided data for this variable. Enter your answer as a whole number with no decimal places (i.e., 10, not 10.1, not 10.11, not 10.110).

Question 3

1 / 1 pts

After finding the range for the age variable, you worry that perhaps this value is being influenced by extreme scores! So, you decide to find the interquartile range. After all, you know the IQR has some benefits. This time, you go to SPSS and select Analyze > Descriptives > Frequencies. You put the age variable in the “variables” box and then click Statistics. Make sure Quartiles, Mean, Median, Mode, Range, Standard Deviation, and Variance are checked (because it never hurts to get lots of information :). You click continue, then ok.

Using the Percentiles that are reported in the output (these are equivalent to Q1, Q2, and Q3), you are able to determine that the interquartile range for the “age” variable is:

20

4

35

22

23.29

24

Question 4

1 / 1 pts

You might choose to report the interquartile range rather than the exclusive range because:

it focuses on the 50% of scores in the lower half of the distribution.

it includes outliers.

it is less impacted by the presence of outliers.

it uses each value in the data set during calculation.

Question 5

1 / 1 pts

Now you know the range and interquartile range for the age variable…but you are concerned because both of these measures of variability are flawed (in fact, you can easily list the drawbacks of each measure because you have studied so well!). So, you realize it is also important to check out the standard deviation.

You use SPSS and find that the standard deviation for the age variable is ________.

Enter your answer rounded to two decimal places (i.e., 10.11, not 10, not 10.1, not 10.110).

Question 6

1 / 1 pts

Because you have studied so well, you understand exactly how the variance is calculated. Therefore, you know that if SPSS did not provide you with the variance, but you absolutely needed to know the variance, you (being the smart person you are) could find the variance by:

Squaring the mean

Adding up the gpa variable by hand and dividing by the number of people in the sample

Taking the square root of the range

Squaring the standard deviation

Question 7

1 / 1 pts

Lucky for you, SPSS does provide the variance! The variance for the “age” variable is _________. Enter your answer rounded to two decimal places (i.e., 10.11, not 10, not 10.1, not 10.110).

Question 8

1 / 1 pts

Last year, the average age of students in this class was 25.55 with a standard deviation of 6.18. This year, the average age is 23.29 years with a standard deviation that you calculated above! In comparing the age variable from last year to this year (the data you have already analyzed in this assignment), you conclude that:

students this year, on average, are younger and have become more diverse in age

students this year, on average, are younger and have become less diverse in age

students this year, on average, are older and have become more diverse in age

students this year, on average, are older and have become less diverse in age

Question 9

2 / 2 pts

You CAN do statistics!!

True

False

Quiz Score: 10 out of 10