Learn By Doing – Comparing Distributions with Boxplots

Published: December 21st, 2012

Category: Activity 1: Learn By Doing

OBJECTIVES:

  • to practice comparing and contrasting distributions, and
  • to help you gain more intuition about variability through the interpretation of your results in context.

Data Description:

The percentage of each entering freshman class that graduated on time was recorded for each of six colleges at a major university over a period of several years. (Source: This data is distributed with the software package, Data Desk. (1993). Ithaca, NY: Data Description, Inc., and appeared in the Data and Story Library)

In order to compare the graduation rates among the different colleges, we will create side-by-side boxplots (graduation rate by college), and supplement the graph with numerical measures. Answer the questions based on the SPSS output provided.

Side-by-side boxplots comparing the percent graduation for 6 colleges

http://phhp-faculty-cantrell.sites.medinfo.ufl.edu/files/2012/07/qz-LBD01016.swf

http://phhp-faculty-cantrell.sites.medinfo.ufl.edu/files/2012/07/qz-LBD01017.swf

http://phhp-faculty-cantrell.sites.medinfo.ufl.edu/files/2012/07/qz-LBD01018.swf


This document is linked from Boxplots.