MAT10251 STATISTICAL ANALYSIS

Data Analysis Project – Part A

(Marked out of 10 but worth 5% of final assessment)

 

Due                 Week 3 Tuesday 15^th March 2016

If you are a late enrolment in MAT10251, email Nicola Jayne [email protected] or Liam Wagner [email protected] with the date you enrolled in MAT10251 for a revised due date

Value:              5%

Objectives:      2 to 5

Topic:              1

Purpose:          To

• introduce you to the project data, questions and Excel,
• use Excel to graph data and calculate summary statistics,
• interpret and communicate Excel results.

Full marks for Part A will be given for successful submission of an acceptable attempt.

Part A Question

Your friend or relative has asked you for information on the price of three and four year old cars of the make and model and in the state specified by your sample. In particular, he/she is interested in the minimum and maximum price, the average price and an estimated price range for a three or four year old used car.

Tasks – Part A Submission

Complete the following tasks

1)        Download and save your data.

2)        Download the Project Part A cover sheets, name and save this file as

“Family Name_First Name_Part_A_Campus”.

3)        Enter your Sample Number on page 2 of the Part A coversheets.

4)         Statistical Tasks

Using Price data explore prices of 2012 and 2013 used cars, by using Excel to:

• Construct a frequency histogram or polygon.
• Calculate descriptive statistics.

Hint: The required data for 2012 and 2013 used cars is in the first rows of your sample.

5)         Written Answer – Email or Letter

Using the instructions given on page four of the Part A coversheets, introduce your data and the results of your preliminary investigation of prices of three and four year old used cars, of the make and model and in the state specified by your sample.

This should be one to two pages and 300 to 500 words.

Use an appropriate style, without statistical jargon and equations, to clearly communicate your results.

6)         Complete Coversheets 1 and 2, save and submit Part A of the project online using Project Part A link in Submit Project by the due date Tuesday 15^th March 2016.

Marking Criteria – Part A

Read the marking criteria carefully and consider them when preparing your Part A Submission.

See the marking and feedback sheet, page 3 Part A coversheets, for allocation of marks.

Note: you will use these criteria to self-mark Part A of the project – however, your mark for Part A will be based on successful submission of an acceptable attempt.

 

Statistical Calculation

• To obtain full marks your graph must be correct, including correct labels on both axes and a title. Marks will be deducted if:

• Graph incorrect (eg, gaps between classes of non-zero frequency in a histogram for continuous data).
• Excel, or similar, is not used.
• Axes incorrectly or not labelled.
• No title.
• Inappropriate classes are used.
• Scale on axes distorts graphs.

• To obtain full marks for descriptive statistics copy the output table of the Descriptive Statistics command in Data Analysis or Descriptive Summary command in PhStat. You may delete unnecessary statistics in this table; you may also include other statistics, for example quartiles.
• Marks will be deducted if this table is incorrect, so check:

• Your sample size.
• Whether you are calculating sample statistics or population parameters.

 

 

Written Answer – Letter/Email  

• 300 to 500 words and one to two pages – marks will be deducted if this is greatly exceeded.
• To obtain full marks must:

• Be well structured.
• Clearly communicate the results of the Excel output in language appropriate for your audience.
• Include appropriate graph and summary statistics.
• Provide information on average price of three and four year old used cars, how prices vary and any pattern to prices.
• Provide an estimated price range for a three or four year old used car.

• Marks will be deducted if:

• There is little or no comment on, or interpretation of, the Excel output.
• Unnecessary statistical jargon and equations appear.
• It is confusing or not readable.
• It is handwritten.

• For each major spelling and/or grammatical error half a mark will be deducted, up to a maximum of two marks.
• Also up to two marks may be deducted for poor structure and/or presentation.