Homework SourseNeed help with my biostatics final project Section A Types o
Need help with my biostatics final project!
Section A: Types of Measurement Scales
Complete the following table. You may need to search the Internet or KU Library to complete this table.
Measurement
Explanation
Quantitative/Qualitative
Public Health Example
Nominal
Ordinal
Interval
Ratio
Discrete
Continuous
Binary/Dichotomous
| Measurement | Explanation | Quantitative/Qualitative | Public Health Example |
| Nominal | |||
| Ordinal | |||
| Interval | |||
| Ratio | |||
| Discrete | |||
| Continuous | |||
| Binary/Dichotomous |
Solution
Measurement
Explanation
Quantitative/Qualitative
Public Health Example
Nominal
Refers to categorically discrete data.
Qualitative
Whether a cancer is \'malignant\' or \'benign\'.
Ordinal
A ordinal variable, is one where the order matters but not the difference between values
Qualitative
you might ask patients to express the amount of pain they are feeling on a scale of 1 to 10. A score of 7 means more pain that a score of 5, and that is more than a score of 3. But the difference between the 7 and the 5 may not be the same as that between 5 and 3. The values simply express an order.
Interval
A interval variable is a measurement where the difference between two values is meaningful.
Quantitative
The difference of body temperature. The difference between 29 and 30 degrees is the same magnitude as the difference between 78 and 79.
Ratio
A ratio variable, has all the properties of an interval variable, and also has a clear definition of 0.0. When the variable equals 0.0, there is none of that variable.
Quantitative
Variables like height, weight, enzyme activity are ratio variables.
Temperature (in Kelvins) is also an example of ratio variable.
Discrete
when the variable takes on a countable number of values.
Quantitative
Most often these variables indeed represent some kind of count such as the number of prescriptions an individual takes daily.
Continuous
when the variable can take on any value in some range of values.
Quantitative
Common examples would be height (inches), weight (pounds), or time to recovery (days).
Binary/Dichotomous
A variable is said to be Binary or Dichotomous, when there are only two possible levels. These variables can usually be phrased in a “yes/no” question.
Qualitative
Gender
| Measurement | Explanation | Quantitative/Qualitative | Public Health Example |
| Nominal | Refers to categorically discrete data. | Qualitative | Whether a cancer is \'malignant\' or \'benign\'. |
| Ordinal | A ordinal variable, is one where the order matters but not the difference between values | Qualitative | you might ask patients to express the amount of pain they are feeling on a scale of 1 to 10. A score of 7 means more pain that a score of 5, and that is more than a score of 3. But the difference between the 7 and the 5 may not be the same as that between 5 and 3. The values simply express an order. |
| Interval | A interval variable is a measurement where the difference between two values is meaningful. | Quantitative | The difference of body temperature. The difference between 29 and 30 degrees is the same magnitude as the difference between 78 and 79. |
| Ratio | A ratio variable, has all the properties of an interval variable, and also has a clear definition of 0.0. When the variable equals 0.0, there is none of that variable. | Quantitative | Variables like height, weight, enzyme activity are ratio variables. Temperature (in Kelvins) is also an example of ratio variable. |
| Discrete | when the variable takes on a countable number of values. | Quantitative | Most often these variables indeed represent some kind of count such as the number of prescriptions an individual takes daily. |
| Continuous | when the variable can take on any value in some range of values. | Quantitative | Common examples would be height (inches), weight (pounds), or time to recovery (days). |
| Binary/Dichotomous | A variable is said to be Binary or Dichotomous, when there are only two possible levels. These variables can usually be phrased in a “yes/no” question. | Qualitative | Gender |
