Distribution

Table of Contents

A dataset. The group of data pertaining to a particular variable, although sometimes is also used to refer to a data matrix (ie, the data comprising all the variables used in a particular research). References can be made to the distribution of data, the distribution of scores or the dataset distribution.
An arranged dataset. The organized arrangement of data, normally for representing frequencies (eg, histograms) or individual scores (eg, ranked distribution of scores).
A probability distribution. Theoretical arrangements of data which provide know probabilities of occurrence. Real results are then compared against the theoretical distribution in order to ascertain the probability of such data under such theoretical distribution. Well known distributions are z-distributions (ie, the normal curve), t-distributions and F-distribution. Probability distributions are used for making inferences from a sample to a population.

References

1. full reference in the following format AUTHOR (date work).Title. Reference location, date publication. ISBN/ISSN.

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2. Although ordinal variables may show values, analyses are based on their relative ranking within the dataset. Thus, it is the ranking of scores that is important with ordinal variables. The actual value becomes a nominal label for identifying the ranked scores.