Histograms and Descriptive Statistics

Your first IBM SPPS assignment includes two sections in which you will:

1. Create two histograms and provide interpretations.

2. Calculate measures of central tendency and dispersion and provide interpretations.

Key Details and Instructions

• Submit your assignment as a Word document.

• Begin your assignment by creating a properly formatted APA title page. Include a reference list at the

end of the document if necessary. On page 2, begin Section 1.

• Write your report in narrative format, integrating your SPSS output charts and tables with your

responses to the specific requirements listed for this assignment. (See the Copy/Export Output

Instructions in the Resources area.)

• Label all tables and graphs in a manner consistent with APA style and formatting guidelines. Citations,

if needed, should be included in the text as well as in a reference section at the end of the report.

• Refer to the IBM SPSS Step-By-Step Guide: Histograms and Descriptive Statistics (in the Resources

area) for additional help in completing this assignment.

Section 1: Histograms and Visual Interpretation

Section 1 will include one histogram of total scores for all the males in the data set, and one histogram of

total scores for all the females in the data set.

Using the total and gender variables in your grades.sav data set, create two histograms:

• A histogram for male students.

• A histogram for female students.

Copy the histogram output from SPSS and paste it into a Word document. Below the histograms in your

Word document, provide an interpretation based on your visual inspection. Correctly use all of the following

terms in your discussion:

• Skew.

• Kurtosis.

• Outlier.

• Symmetry.

• Modality.

Comment on any differences between males and females regarding their total scores. Analyze the strengths

and limitations of visually interpreting histograms.

Section 2: Calculate and Interpret Measures of Central Tendency and Dispersion

Using the grades.sav file, compute descriptive statistics, including mean, standard deviation, skewness, and

kurtosis for the following variables:

• id

• gender

• ethnicity

• gpa

• quiz3

• total

Copy the descriptives output from SPSS and paste it into your Word document. Below the descriptives

output table in your Word document:

• Indicate which variables are meaningless to interpret in terms of mean, standard deviation, skewness,

and kurtosis. Justify your decision.

• Next, indicate which variables are meaningful to interpret. Justify your decision.

• For the meaningful variables, do the following:

◦ Specify any variables that are in the ideal range for both skewness and kurtosis.

◦ Specify any variables that are acceptable but not excellent.

◦ Specify any variables that are unacceptable.

◦ Explain your decisions.

• For all meaningful variables, report and interpret the descriptive statistics (mean, standard deviation,

skewness, and kurtosis).

Submit both sections of your assignment as an attached Word document.

Resources

Histograms and Descriptive Statistics Scoring Guide.

• Includes all relevant output; no irrelevant output is included. No errors in SPSS output.

• Evaluates the concepts of skew, kurtosis, outliers, symmetry, and modality for two histograms.

• Analyzes the strengths and limitations of examining a distribution of scores with a histogram.

• Includes all relevant output; no irrelevant output is included. No errors in SPSS output.

• Evaluates meaningful versus meaningless variables reported in descriptive statistics.

• Evaluates descriptive statistics.

• Without exception, communicates in a manner that is scholarly, professional, and consistent with the expectations for members

in the identified field of study.

IBM SPSS Step-by-Step Guide: Histograms and Descriptive Statistics [DOC]. Copy/Export Output Instructions.

APA Style and Format.