You will need a calculator for this exam

B. Skewness
1. measures symetry
2. compare mean to median

II. Statistical Comparisons
A. Population means and variances

B. Sample means and variances
1. sampling error
2. statistical significance

C. Relations between variables
1. correlation coefficients

a. positive, negative, or zero correlation
b. strong or weak correlation
c. correlation still does not imply causality

a. regression equation
b. dependent and independent variables
c. interpreting coefficients

III.  Survey design issues
A. Samples must be random and representative

B. Wording and order of questions can bias results
1. leading questions
2. context
3. information
4. scale
5. interviewer

C. Statistical analysis is no more accurate than the data
1. memory is imperfect
2. hypothetical questions are difficult
3. honesty

D. Control groups are needed when examining change
1. control and study groups need to be randomly selected
2. study should be double blind

IV.  Probability Distributions
A. discrete

B. continuous

C. the Normal distribution
    1. characteristics
    2. the standard normal
        a. tables
        b. transforming any normal to standard form
        c. solving problems

V. Estimation
A. sample statistics are estimators for population parameters
    1. mean
    2. proportion

B. sampling errors
    1. standard error
        a. normally distributed (central limit theorem)
        b. calculations
            i) infinite population
            ii) finite population
    2. estimate intervals
    3. sample size

C. confidence intervals
    1. normal distribution
    2. t-distribution
    3. calculations
    4. precision/ accuracy trade-off

Chuck Stull's homepage

Department of Economics (information from the Registrar's office)

Kalamazoo College Homepage