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Quantitative Skills for AP Biology Flashcards

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1542509908hypothesisA plausible and testable explanation for observed phenomena.0
1542509909independent variableThe experimental factor that is manipulated; the variable whose effect is being studied.1
1542509910dependent variableThe variable that responds to manipulations of the independent variable. The data.2
1542509911confounding variableAny extraneous variable that affects the variables being studied so that the results do not reflect an actual relationship between the variables under investigation.3
1542509912quantitative dataData based on quantities (numerical data).4
1542509913qualitative dataData based on qualities (non-numerical data).5
1542509914continuous dataData that can be any value on a range.6
1542509915discrete dataData that is capable of assuming only particular values. Usually the result of counting or grouping.7
1542509916control groupThe empirical group that does not receive the independent variable. Serves as a basis for comparison for evaluating the effect of the treatment.8
1542509917experimental groupThe empirical group that is exposed to the independent variable.9
1542509918correlational studyA research method that can determine the degree to which two variables are related, but cannot show which variable caused a change in the other variable.10
1542509919pseudoscienceA body of ideas clothed in the jargon and outward appearance of science but was not created with the standards required of the scientific method.11
1542509920extrapolationEstimating a value outside the range of measured data.12
1542509921statisticsThe study of the collection, organization, analysis, interpretation and presentation of data.13
1542509922population (N)A complete set of items (people, animals, etc.) that have at least one thing in common and are the subject of the statistical analysis.14
1542509923sample (n)A subset of individuals selected from the population.15
1542509924descriptive statisticsStatistics that quantitatively describe the main features of a data set, especially measures of central tendency and dispersion.16
1542509925inferential statisticsStatistics that draw conclusions from sample data. Used to test hypotheses and make estimations about the population.17
1542509926sampling biasA problem that occurs when a sample is not representative of the population from which it is drawn.18
1542509927normal distributionA unimodal, symmetrical, bell-shaped distribution of data.19
1542509928parametric dataData that show an approximate normal distribution on a histogram.20
1542509929nonparametric dataData that do not show an approximate normal distribution on a histogram. Can be qualitative data.21
1542509930frequency or count dataRecordings of discrete, or qualitative, data. Generated by counting.22
1542509931comparative statisticsStatistics that compare variables.23
1542509932association statisticsStatistics that look for correlations between variables.24
1542509933standard deviationA measurement measures the amount of variation or dispersion from the mean.25
1542509934standard errorA statistic used to make an inference about how well the sample mean matches up to the true population mean.26
1542509935linear regressionDefines a line of best fit for correlational data that can be used as a prediction of the relationship between two variables.27
1542509937histogramA graphical representation of tabulated frequencies.28
1542509938scatterplotA graph of plotted points that show the relationship between two sets of data.29
1542509939bar graphA graph drawn using rectangular bars to show how large each value is.30
1542509940box-and-whisker plotsA way of graphically depicting groups of numerical data through their quartiles.31
1542509941binsRanges of numerical values into which data are sorted in statistical analysis.32
1542509943meanA measure of central tendency determined by adding all scores together and dividing by the number of scores. Often referred to as the statistical average.33
1542509944samplingThe selection of a subset of individuals from within a statistical population to estimate characteristics of the whole population.34
154250994568-95-99.7 RuleIn a normal distribution, about 68% of values fall within 1 standard deviation of the mean, about 95% fall within 2 standard deviations of the mean, and about 99.7% fall within 3 standard deviations of the mean.35
1542509946error barsA graphical representation of the variability of data and are used on graphs to indicate the error, or uncertainty in a reported measurement.36
1542509947medianA measure of central tendency, represented by the score that separates the upper half of the scores in a distribution from the lower half.37
1542509948modeMeasure of central tendency that refers to the most frequently occurring scores.38
1542509949Chi-square testA statistical hypothesis test that measures the difference between observed frequencies and expected frequencies.39
1542509950null hypothesisHypothesis that predicts NO relationship between variables.40
1542509951alternative hypothesisHypothesis that predicts a relationship DOES EXIST between variables.41
1542509954degrees freedomThe number of ways by which a dynamic system can move without violating any constraint imposed on it. (n-1)42
1542509955critical valueA cutoff value corresponding to a given significance level.43
1542509956p-valueA predetermined choice of test certainty. The smaller the p-value, the more confidence can be claimed.44
1542509957mathematical modellingA description of a system using mathematical concepts and language.45
1542509958r-valueThe correlation coefficient that ranges from -1.0 to +1.0. The closer it is to 0, the less two variables are related.46
1542509959hypothesis testingA method of statistical inference that determines if a result is statistically significant or if it is likely to have occurred by chance alone.47
1542509960Occam's razorA principle that states that among competing hypotheses, the one with the fewest assumptions should be selected.48
1542509961type I errorFalse positive. Mistakenly reject the null hypothesis.49
1542509962type II errorFalse negative. Mistakenly reject the null hypothesis.50

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