Data Analysis

Now that you've collected your data, how do you make sense of it? Statistical analysis allows you to discover if your hypothesis is correct. Psychologists use
two types of statistics to make sense of the data they collect and to provide a quantitative basis for the conclusions they draw.

Click on the links to learn more, then test your knowledge:

Question 1: Using descriptive statistics could help you to ___.   a. see if there are any patterns in your data X b. rule out alternative explanations X c. account for chance variation X d. describe the data you collected for each participant   Answer: Correct. Using descriptive statistics could help you to see if there are any patterns in your data.

Question 2: If you found differences between the groups you are studying, inferential statistics could help you determine if the differences are ___. X a. the result of bias X b. the result of error   c. statistically significant X d. relevant to your study   Answer: Correct. If you found differences between the groups you are studying, inferential statistics could help you determine if the differences are statistically significant.

Next, explore ethics.