In a distribution of sentence lengths in months like the following: 6, 12, 10, 18, 24, 360; which statistic would a researcher not want to report?
a. standard deviation
b. mean
c. range
d. raw numbers
raw numbers
Range
n a distribution of sentence lengths in months like the following: 6, 12, 10, 18, 24, 360; which statistic would a researcher not want to report?
To determine which statistic a researcher would not want to report in this distribution of sentence lengths in months, let's understand the meaning and application of each statistic:
a. Standard deviation: The standard deviation measures the dispersion or spread of the data values from the mean. It quantifies how much the sentence lengths deviate from the average value. In this case, a higher standard deviation would indicate a wider range of sentence lengths. Reporting the standard deviation can provide valuable information about the variability in the data.
b. Mean: The mean, also known as the average, is calculated by summing up all the data values and dividing by the total number of values. It represents the central tendency of the data distribution. Reporting the mean can give an idea of the typical or average sentence length in months.
c. Range: The range is the difference between the largest and smallest values in a dataset. In this case, the range would be obtained by subtracting the minimum sentence length from the maximum sentence length. Reporting the range can provide insight into the entire span of sentence lengths.
d. Raw numbers: Raw numbers refer to the actual values in the dataset, without any statistical calculations or transformations. Reporting raw numbers can give a complete picture of the sentence lengths, allowing for a more detailed analysis.
Based on this understanding, a researcher would typically not want to report the raw numbers as a standalone statistic. Raw numbers alone may lack context and may not provide meaningful insights to the readers. However, they can still be used for further calculations or to support other statistical measures.
Therefore, the correct answer to the question is d. raw numbers.