Case Study

Explain the significance of including the score of 1717 with a frequency of 00 in the table. How does including this row support the comprehension of the overall score distribution compared to omitting it?

Case context: A researcher has compiled self-esteem scores from a sample of 4040 college students into a frequency table. The scores range from 1515 to 2424. In this table, the first column lists the self-esteem scores in descending order, and the second column lists the frequency of each score. The score of 1717 is listed in the table with a frequency of 00.

Question: Explain the significance of including the score of 1717 with a frequency of 00 in the table. How does including this row support the comprehension of the overall score distribution compared to omitting it?

Sample answer: Including the score of 1717 with a frequency of 00 preserves the continuity of the scale from 1515 to 2424. This makes gaps in the dataset immediately apparent and provides an accurate representation of the range and distribution shape, which would be obscured if the score were omitted.

Key points:

  • Including zero-frequency scores maintains the continuous scale and range of 1515 to 2424.
  • It visualizes distribution gaps, making it clear that no students scored 1717.
  • It prevents visual distortion of the frequency distribution.

Rubric: To receive full credit, the response must identify that including zero-frequency scores maintains scale continuity and visualizes gaps in the distribution without distorting the range.

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Updated 2026-05-27

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Research Methods in Psychology - 4th American Edition @ KPU

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