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Quantitative Skills for AP Biology Flashcards

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9876650249hypothesisA plausible and testable explanation for observed phenomena.0
9876650250independent variableThe experimental factor that is manipulated; the variable whose effect is being studied.1
9876650251dependent variableThe variable that responds to manipulations of the independent variable. The data.2
9876650252confounding 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
9876650253quantitative dataData based on quantities (numerical data).4
9876650254qualitative dataData based on qualities (non-numerical data).5
9876650255continuous dataData that can be any value on a range.6
9876650256discrete dataData that is capable of assuming only particular values. Usually the result of counting or grouping.7
9876650257control groupThe empirical group that does not receive the independent variable. Serves as a basis for comparison for evaluating the effect of the treatment.8
9876650258experimental groupThe empirical group that is exposed to the independent variable.9
9876650259correlational 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
9876650260pseudoscienceA 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
9876650261extrapolationEstimating a value outside the range of measured data.12
9876650262statisticsThe study of the collection, organization, analysis, interpretation and presentation of data.13
9876650263population (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
9876650264sample (n)A subset of individuals selected from the population.15
9876650265descriptive statisticsStatistics that quantitatively describe the main features of a data set, especially measures of central tendency and dispersion.16
9876650266inferential statisticsStatistics that draw conclusions from sample data. Used to test hypotheses and make estimations about the population.17
9876650267sampling biasA problem that occurs when a sample is not representative of the population from which it is drawn.18
9876650268normal distributionA unimodal, symmetrical, bell-shaped distribution of data.19
9876650269parametric dataData that show an approximate normal distribution on a histogram.20
9876650270nonparametric dataData that do not show an approximate normal distribution on a histogram. Can be qualitative data.21
9876650271frequency or count dataRecordings of discrete, or qualitative, data. Generated by counting.22
9876650272comparative statisticsStatistics that compare variables.23
9876650273association statisticsStatistics that look for correlations between variables.24
9876650274standard deviationA measurement measures the amount of variation or dispersion from the mean.25
9876650275standard errorA statistic used to make an inference about how well the sample mean matches up to the true population mean.26
9876650276linear regressionDefines a line of best fit for correlational data that can be used as a prediction of the relationship between two variables.27
9876650277histogramA graphical representation of tabulated frequencies.28
9876650278scatterplotA graph of plotted points that show the relationship between two sets of data.29
9876650279bar graphA graph drawn using rectangular bars to show how large each value is.30
9876650280box-and-whisker plotsA way of graphically depicting groups of numerical data through their quartiles.31
9876650281binsRanges of numerical values into which data are sorted in statistical analysis.32
9876650282meanA 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
9876650283samplingThe selection of a subset of individuals from within a statistical population to estimate characteristics of the whole population.34
987665028468-95-99.7 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
9876650285error barsA graphical representation of the variability of data and are used on graphs to indicate the error, or uncertainty in a reported measurement.36
9876650286medianA measure of central tendency, represented by the score that separates the upper half of the scores in a distribution from the lower half.37
9876650287modeMeasure of central tendency that refers to the most frequently occurring scores.38
9876650288Chi-square testA statistical hypothesis test that measures the difference between observed frequencies and expected frequencies.39
9876650289null hypothesisHypothesis that predicts NO relationship between variables.40
9876650290alternative hypothesisHypothesis that predicts a relationship DOES EXIST between variables.41
9876650291degrees freedomThe number of ways by which a dynamic system can move without violating any constraint imposed on it. (n-1)42
9876650292critical valueA cutoff value corresponding to a given significance level.43
9876650293p-valueA predetermined choice of test certainty. The smaller the p-value, the more confidence can be claimed.44
9876650294mathematical modellingA description of a system using mathematical concepts and language.45
9876650295r-valueThe correlation coefficient that ranges from -1.0 to +1.0. The closer it is to 0, the less two variables are related.46
9876650296hypothesis 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
9876650297Occam's razorA principle that states that among competing hypotheses, the one with the fewest assumptions should be selected.48
9876650298type I errorFalse positive. Mistakenly reject the null hypothesis.49
9876650299type II errorFalse negative. Mistakenly reject the null hypothesis.50

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