Module 4 – Histogram Lab

Progress Check

Use this activity to assess whether you and your peers can:

• Select an appropriate bin width for a histogram and explain your choice.
• Use a histogram to describe the shape, center, and spread of a distribution of data.

Learn by Doing

This is the first of several mini-labs designed to teach you how to use StatCrunch. Later in the course, you will be expected to complete more extensive labs and in-class quizzes/exams using the StatCrunch skills learned in these early mini-labs.

Some features of this activity may not work well on a cell phone or tablet. We highly recommend that you complete this activity on a computer.

Use the rubric at the bottom of this page as a guide for completing this assignment.

A list of StatCrunch directions is provided after the Prompt section below.

Directions

Submit your work:

• Carefully read all sections below (beginning with the Context section and ending with the Prompt section).
• Commit a good-faith effort to address all items in the Prompt section below. Please be sure to number your responses.
• If directed to do so, embed all required StatCrunch output in your initial submission. Please do not submit StatCrunch output as an attachment.

Complete your assigned peer reviews:

• After you submit your initial good-faith attempt, continue to the ANSWER(S) page and review your instructor’s response. But please do not submit your corrected work yet.
• Within three days after the due date, return to this assignment and complete your assigned peer reviews (directions (Links to an external site.)).

Submit your corrected work:

• We all learn from mistakes (our own and our classmates’ mistakes). So please do not immediately correct your own mistakes. If possible, wait until you receive feedback from at least one of your peers.
• If necessary, correct your work and resubmit the entire assignment – including any required StatCrunch output. Your instructor will only review and grade your most recent submission, so please do not refer to a previous submission.

Context

We will use the Best Actor Oscar winners (1970–2001) data file to learn how to create a histogram using StatCrunch, and to practice what we’ve learned about describing a histogram. We are interested in describing the distribution of actors’ ages when they won the Best Actor Oscar.

Data

Start by downloading the actor datafile to your computer.

• Here are the directions for downloading the datafile.
• Here is the actor (Links to an external site.) datafile. (This is the “Excel” file. You do not need Excel installed on your device for this assignment.)

Next you will create a histogram of the ages of Best Oscar winners and upload your histogram to your Stats-Class folder in Canvas. Here are the steps.

• open StatCrunch (directions).
• Upload the ages data file to StatCrunch (directions).
• Create a histogram of the ages of Best Actor Oscar winners (directions).
• Download the StatCrunch output window, your histogram (directions).

Prompt

In your initial post, respond to the following prompt.

1. Describe the distribution of ages of the Best Actor Oscar winners. Your description should include: shape, center (a typical representative age), a typical interval of representative ages, spread (overall range of ages), and any outliers (unusual ages). Be sure to embed your histogram in your initial post (directions). Please do not submit your histogram as an attachment.
2. Create a second histogram for the distribution of ages, and adjust the bin width (directions). Try both smaller and larger bin widths. Choose a bin width so that your second histogram does not look like the first. Upload your second histogram to your Stats-Class folder. Also embed your second histogram with your initial post. Indicate which histogram is better for analyzing the data (your first embedded histogram or your second). Explain why.

List of StatCrunch Directions

Each link will open in a new window. To return to this discussion, either close the new tab or select the tab for this discussion.

• Purchase StatCrunch (You only need to do this once.)
• Open StatCrunch
• Download Excel File
• Upload Excel Data File to StatCrunch
• Download StatCrunch Output Window (no screenshots; please use these directions)
• Upload Files to Your Stats-Class Folder in Canvas
• Embed Pictures in a Textbox (no attachments; please use these directions)
• Create a Histogram
• Adjust Histogram Bin Width

Here is a PDF document with all StatCrunch directions (Links to an external site.).

Rubric

Peer Reviewed Assignment w/ StatCrunch