DNP-BIOSTATICS 1

Module 2 Displaying Data

HESC 700 Applied Biostatistics

▪ The two most common forms of data display are tables and graphs.

▪ The aim: to summarize and present the data in a manner that is

easy to understand and take in.

Displaying Data

▪ Tables are visual displays composed of columns and rows in which numbers, text, or a combination of numbers and text are presented.

▪ Parts of a table

▪ Title number and title

▪ Divider rules

▪ Spanner heads

▪ Stub heads

▪ Column heads

▪ Row titles

▪ Cells

▪ Footnotes

Tables

▪ Frequency table: It is a table with two columns.

▪ One column lists the categories, and another for the frequencies

with which the items in the categories occur (how many items fit into

each category).

▪ Frequency distributions of numerical variables can be displayed in a

table, a histogram chart, or a frequency polygon chart.

▪ Concerning discrete variables, it is possible to present the number

of observations according to the different values found in the study

(Duquia et al., 2014).

Frequency Tables

Score Classification Frequency

DEPRESSION GRADE NUMBER PERCENTAGE

MILD 2 14.3

MODERATE 4 28.6

MODERATE SEVERE 7 50.0

SEVERE 1 7.1

TOTAL 14 100.0

▪ There are a variety of graph types. The main types you will see are

frequency charts, histograms, bar charts, pie charts, scatter graphs,

and line graphs.

Graph

GRAPH IS ANOTHER WAY TO

REPRESENT DATA. GRAPHS ARE

USED TO DISPLAY DATA

BECAUSE IT IS EASIER TO SEE

TRENDS IN THE DATA WHEN IT IS

DISPLAYED VISUALLY COMPARED

TO WHEN IT IS DISPLAYED

NUMERICALLY IN A TABLE.

COMPLICATED DATA CAN OFTEN

BE DISPLAYED AND

INTERPRETED MORE EASILY IN A

GRAPH FORMAT THAN IN A DATA

TABLE (BARTEE ET AL., 2017).

The Appropriate Way of Displaying Data Depends

on the Objectives:

Comparison: Use comparison charts to compare one or more datasets.

Relationship: This type of charts are used to show a connection or correlation between two or more variables.

Composition: For this kind of objective, the charts are used to display parts of a whole and change over time.

Distribution: The charts are used to show how variables are distributed over time, helping identify outliers and trends.

Lies, Damned Lies and Statistics

Statistics are extensively used in research studies, organizations, media, and politics.

It is vital to know the different types of ways statistics can be misused so that you can identify them and do not make decisions based on biased or incorrect data (Wendy, 2021).

Reasons for Statistics Misleading

Poor research design

▪ A group of issues that should

be known to assure a good

interpretation of statistical

data to avoid misleading

statistical data.

How to Assure a Good Interpretation of Statistics

Data to Avoid Statistical Data Misleading

▪ Measures of central tendency.

▪ The meaningless ‘mean’.

▪ An average (the mean, median,

or mode for a set of numbers) is

useful as a single-parameter

characterization of a

quantitative variable.

▪ The percentage and proportion.

▪ Percentages are used to

express proportions. This is

especially important concerning

sample size; a researcher

should be wary when a

percentage is quoted without an

indication of the sample size.

▪ Relative and absolute risk.

▪ Percentages, proportions, probability, and ratios.

▪ Proportion refers to the number of items in a sub-category in relation to the total amount of the items in the main category, percentage are used to express proportions.

▪ Error of measurement.

o When there are two groups to compare, the difference between the two groups is potentially small, so you need to make sure that your measurement tool is accurate.

▪ Other statistics misleading uses are extrapolation beyond the reasonable and to the extreme, sampling, and display of data.

How to Avoid Being Misled by Poor Statistics

The source is a subject matter expert, not a statistics expert.

The source is a statistician, not a subject matter expert.

The subject being studied is not well defined.

Data quality is poor.

The mainstream media has limited expertise and mixed motives.

Review as many times as required the information contained in the module folder

(includes this presentation).

Read the reference material to clarify any questions.

Carry out all the activities according to the instructions.

Submit assignments on the indicated date through the educational

platform.

Congratulations you have reviewed the

theoretical summary of this week's topic!

Actively participate in collaborative sessions.

Remember that to successfully build your learning it is important that: