Research and statistics are essential components of the study of criminal justice and criminology. In Chapter Four, Gau (2018) defines the concept of the measures of central tendency and data distribution shapes. The author’s primary argument refers to the importance of averages and data distribution types for criminology researchers and practitioners (Gau, 2018). Indeed, the predictive capability of the measures of central tendency allows for drawing general conclusions and providing understanding about groups of objects or people based on data.
Another point made in the chapter refers to the role of data distribution shapes. The distribution’s nature is critical to evaluate for identifying other descriptive statistics. Furthermore, Gau (2018) explores such terms as the mode, the median, and the mean. In particular, the author highlights the mode’s usefulness for categorical data in contrast to continuous data. According to Gau (2018), the median is more informative, especially for continuous variables, compared to ordinal variables. In turn, another argument emphasizes that the mean can only be calculated with interval or ratio data and is not applicable to categorical variables (Gau, 2018). Understanding the appropriateness of each measure of central tendency is essential since it allows the researcher to apply the relevant tool to analyze the data set. The author identifies the strengths and weaknesses of each measure, which is vital for choosing the right approach for certain types of data.
To conclude, the information provided in the chapter is essential for understanding the measures of central tendency. The evaluation of the middle points in sets of data provides a general basis for assumptions and conclusions, crucial in criminal justice and criminology studies. For instance, statistical procedures can be utilized in observational studies and experiments. In these research types, statistical analysis is performed to analyze data, support a hypothesis, and draw conclusions.
Reference
Gau, J. M. (2018). Statistics for criminology and criminal justice (3rd ed.). SAGE Publications.