Data analysis: Descriptive stats

Measures of central tendency

• These are 'averages' which give us info about the most typical values in a set of data

Mean

• It is calculated by adding up all the scores/values in a data set and dividing this figure by the total number of scores there are
• The mean is the most sensitive of the measures of central tendency as it includes all the scores/values in the data set within the calculation
• Most representative of the data as a whole
• It is easily distorted by extreme values

Median

• The middle value in a data set when scores are arranged from lowest to highest 
• In an odd number of scores, the median is easily identified
• In an even number of sores the median is halfway between the two middle scores
• The sttength of the median is that extreme scores do not affect it
• It is also eas to calculate
• However, it is…