Nadiya and Tamal are analysing data they have gathered about students’ exam scores and the number of missed classes - AQA - A-Level Psychology - Question 8 - 2017 - Paper 1
Question 8
Nadiya and Tamal are analysing data they have gathered about students’ exam scores and the number of missed classes.
Table 3 shows the raw data from Nadiya and Tama... show full transcript
Worked Solution & Example Answer:Nadiya and Tamal are analysing data they have gathered about students’ exam scores and the number of missed classes - AQA - A-Level Psychology - Question 8 - 2017 - Paper 1
Step 1
Draw a scatter diagram to show Nadiya and Tamal’s data.
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Answer
To create a scatter diagram, plot the 'Exam score' on the x-axis and 'Number of missed classes' on the y-axis. Each point corresponds to a student's exam score and their respective missed classes. For example, the point (70, 8) would represent a student with an exam score of 70 and 8 missed classes. Continue plotting all data points from the table:
(70, 8)
(80, 6)
(40, 18)
(20, 20)
(95, 3)
(100, 4)
(50, 14)
(65, 10)
(55, 12)
(65, 12)
(55, 12).
After plotting, connect the dots or leave them as individual points to visualize the relationship.
Step 2
Identify the type of correlation displayed in the diagram you have drawn.
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Answer
The correlation displayed in the scatter diagram appears to be negative. As the exam scores increase, the number of missed classes tends to decrease, indicating an inverse relationship between the two variables.
Step 3
State two reasons why they used Spearman’s rho to analyse their data.
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Spearman’s rho is a non-parametric measure, making it suitable for ordinal data or when the data do not meet the assumptions of normal distribution. This is particularly relevant here since both exam scores and the number of missed classes may not follow a normal distribution.
It is effective for identifying the strength and direction of a monotonic relationship, which fits the expected relationship between the exam scores and missed classes, allowing Nadiya and Tamal to assess whether higher exam scores consistently correspond to fewer missed classes.