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The Normal Curve, Standardization and Z

Chapter 6 discusses the Normal Curve, standardization, and z-scores, explaining how sample size affects the shape of the distribution and the importance of standardization for comparing scores across different scales. It details the process of transforming raw scores to z-scores and vice versa, as well as how to calculate percentiles based on z-scores. The chapter also introduces the Central Limit Theorem, emphasizing that distributions of sample means tend to be normally distributed, even if the original population is not.

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Diego Bado
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12 views42 pages

The Normal Curve, Standardization and Z

Chapter 6 discusses the Normal Curve, standardization, and z-scores, explaining how sample size affects the shape of the distribution and the importance of standardization for comparing scores across different scales. It details the process of transforming raw scores to z-scores and vice versa, as well as how to calculate percentiles based on z-scores. The chapter also introduces the Central Limit Theorem, emphasizing that distributions of sample means tend to be normally distributed, even if the original population is not.

Uploaded by

Diego Bado
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as PPTX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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The Normal Curve,

Standardization and z
Scores
Chapter 6
Freakanomics!
> Go go go!
The Bell Curve is Born (1769)

De Moivre – Bernoulli – De Morgan


A Modern Normal Curve

Remember: unimodal, symmetric


Development of a Normal Curve:
Sample of 5
Development of a Normal
Curve: Sample of 30
Development of a Normal Curve:
Sample of 140
> As the sample size increases, the
shape of the distribution becomes more
like the normal curve.
> Can you think of variables that might be
normally distributed?
• Think about it: Can nominal (categorical)
variables be normally distributed?
Standardization, z Scores, and the
Normal Curve
> Let’s say we wanted to compare our
student scores on the old GRE (800
point scale) to the new GRE (170 point
scale)
> Standardization: allows comparisons by
creating a common shared distribution
• Also allows us to create percentiles (p-
values!)
Standardization, z Scores, and the
Normal Curve
> Normal curve = standardized
• z distribution (draw it)
• z scores
> Comparing z scores
• percentiles
Standardization, z Scores, and the
Normal Curve
> Z-distribution – normal distribution of
standardized scores
> Also called standard normal distribution
Standardization, z Scores, and the
Normal Curve
> So what are z-scores?
• Number of standard deviations away from
the mean of a particular score
• Can be positive or negative
> Positive = above mean ( X  )
z
> Negative = below mean 

Tip! Make yourself a symbols chart!


The z Distribution
Standardization, z Scores, and the
Normal Curve
> Z-distribution
• Mean = 0
• Standard deviation = 1
Remember you can get the statistical tables by
going to appendix B.1 for the z-distribution table.
Linked on blackboard as a DOC as well.

- Examples
- Find a z score
- Find a raw score (x)
- Find a percent above
- Find a percent below
- Find a percent between
- Given percent find a z
- Given percent find a raw score
Transforming Raw Scores to z
Scores
> Step 1: Subtract the mean of the
population from the raw score
> Step 2: Divide by the standard deviation
of the population

( X  )
z

Transforming z Scores into Raw
Scores
> Step 1: Multiply the z score by the
standard deviation of the population
> Step 2: Add the mean of the population
to this product

X z  
Using z Scores to Make
Comparisons
> If you know your score on an exam, and
a friend’s score on an exam, you can
convert to z scores to determine who
did better and by how much.

> z scores are standardized, so they can


be compared!
Comparing Apples and Oranges

> If we can standardize


the raw scores on two
different scales,
converting both scores
to z scores, we can
then compare the
scores directly.
Transforming z Scores into
Percentiles
> z scores tell you where a value fits into
a normal distribution.
> Based on the normal distribution, there
are rules about where scores with a z
value will fall, and how it will relate to a
percentile rank.
> You can use the area under the normal
curve to calculate percentiles for any
score.
The Normal Curve and
Percentages

Called the 34-14 rule


Remember you can get the statistical tables by
going to appendix B.1 for the z-distribution table.
Linked on blackboard as a DOC as well.

- Examples
- Find a z score
- Find a raw score (x)
- Find a percent above
- Find a percent below
- Find a percent between
- Given percent find a z
- Given percent find a raw score
Remember
> Only the positive numbers are on the
table
• The z distribution is normal, so we don’t
need the negatives (it’s symmetric).
Sketching the Normal Curve

> The benefits of sketching the normal


curve:
• Stays clear in memory; minimizes errors
• Practical reference
• Condenses the information
Calculating the Percentile for a
Positive z Score
Calculating the Percentage Above
a Positive z Score
Calculating the Percentage at
Least as Extreme as Our z
Score
Calculating the Percentile for a
Negative z Score
Calculating the Percentage
Above a Negative z Score
Calculating the Percentage at
Least as Extreme as Our z Score
Calculating a Score from a
Percentile
The Central Limit Theorem
> Distribution of sample means is
normally distributed even when the
population from which it was drawn is
not normal!
> A distribution of means is less variable
than a distribution of individual scores.
• (meaning SD is smaller, but we don’t call it
SD)

Most of statistics is based on making beer better.


Which is why it’s awesome!
Creating a Distribution of Scores
These distributions were obtained by drawing from the same
population.
Creating a Distribution of Means
The
Mathematical
Magic of Large
Samples
Distribution of Means

> Mean of the distribution tends to be the


mean of the population.
> Standard deviation of the distribution
tends to be less than the standard
deviation of the population.
• The standard error: standard deviation of
the distribution of means

M 
N
Using the Appropriate Measure of
Spread
Z statistic for Distribution of
Means
> When you use a distribution of means,
you tweak how you calculate z!
> Calculation of percentages stays the
same.

> z = M – μM
σM
The Normal Curve and Catching
Cheaters
> This pattern is an indication that
researchers might be manipulating
their analyses to push their z
statistics beyond the cutoffs.
PS That example was the same idea we talked about
publication bias … only significant things get
published.

PPS the book example is from Freakanomics!

GO HERE! (more information)

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