When a Statistical Average Is Reported in the News,it Is

question 203

Multiple Choice

When a statistical average is reported in the news,it is most important for readers to

• A)determine whether it is statistically significant.
• B)consider whether it is distorted by a few extreme cases.
• C)be sure that it describes a truly random sample.
• D)recognize the potential for illusory correlation.

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Definitions:

T-statistic

A ratio of the departure of the estimated value of a parameter from its hypothesized value to its standard error, used in hypothesis testing.

Sample Mean

The average value of all observations in a sample.

Alternative Hypothesis

A statement that suggests there is a statistically significant relationship between two variables, contrasting the null hypothesis.

Standard Error

The standard deviation of the sampling distribution of a statistic, commonly the mean.