DNP 830 Topic 3: working with descriptive statistics
SPSS will produce a mean for anything, including data where a mean is meaningless. The assignment is deciding which summary belongs to which variable, and then saying what the numbers show.
Editorial process
Last reviewed · August 15, 2026
Producing the output is not interpreting it
The software will do the arithmetic whatever you feed it, which is exactly the problem. SPSS will happily report a mean for a variable coded 1 for medical and 2 for surgical, and that number is meaningless. So the first decision in this assignment is not which button to press but which summary each variable admits. Nominal variables take frequencies and a mode. Ordinal variables take a median and a range, and a mode where the distribution is lumpy. Continuous variables take a mean and standard deviation when they are roughly symmetric, and a median with an interquartile range when they are not. Stating that reasoning explicitly for each variable is what turns a screenshot of output into an analysis. The same discipline catches a subtler error: a variable that looks continuous because it is stored as a number but is really a coded category, which is how pain scores and satisfaction ratings end up averaged without anyone deciding they should be.
Then interpret rather than transcribe. A results section that reads the mean age was 54.3 with a standard deviation of 12.1 has restated the table in words and added nothing. Say what the spread implies — that roughly two thirds of the sample falls between 42 and 66, that the distribution is wide enough that any intervention will meet very different patients at either end. Where the mean and median diverge noticeably, say so and say which direction, because that is skew and it is a finding about the data rather than a defect. Look at the frequency table for categories with almost no cases, since those are the subgroups your later analysis will not be able to say anything about. Paste the output as the assignment asks, but let the prose carry the reasoning; graders can already read a table and are marking whether you can say what it means for the population behind it.
Likely learning objectives
Inferred from the brief — check these against your own rubric.
- 01Match a summary statistic to a variable's level of measurement.
- 02Interpret dispersion rather than only reporting it.
- 03Detect skew from a mean-median divergence.
- 04Identify subgroups too small to support later analysis.
Read the full question
Review every instruction before using the planning guidance that follows.
Course-wide instructions that accompany this question
Name: Assignment Rubric Grid View List View Excellent Good Fair Poor Summarize your interpretation of the frequency data provided in the output for respondent’s age, highest school grade completed, and family income from prior month. 32 (32%) – 35 (35%) The response accurately and clearly explains, in detail, a summary of the frequency distributions for the variables presented. The response accurately and clearly explains, in detail, the number of times the value occurs in the data. The response accurately and clearly explains, in detail, the appearance of the data, the range of data values, and an explanation of extreme values in describing intervals that sufficiently provides an analysis that fully supports the categorization of each variable value. The response includes relevant, specific, and appropriate examples that fully support the explanations provided for each of the areas described. 28 (28%) – 31 (31%) The response accurately summarizes the frequency distributions for the variables presented. The response accurately explains the number of times the value occurs in the data. The response accurately explains the appearance of the data, the range of data values, and explains extreme values in describing intervals that provides an analysis which supports the categorization of each variable value. The response includes relevant, specific, and accurate examples that support the explanations provided for each of the areas described. 25 (25%) – 27 (27%) The response inaccurately or vaguely summarizes the frequency distributions for the variables presented. The response inaccurately or vaguely explains the number of times the value occurs in the data. The response inaccurately or vaguely explains the appearance of the data, the range of data values, and inaccurately or vaguely explains extreme values. An analysis that may support the categorization of each variable value is inaccurate or vague. The response includes inaccurate and irrelevant examples that may support the explanations provided for each of the areas described. 0 (0%) – 24 (24%) The response inaccurately and vaguely summarizes the frequency distributions for the variables presented, or it is missing. The response inaccurately and vaguely explains the number of times the value occurs in the data, or it is missing. The response inaccurately and vaguely explains the appearance of the data, the range of data values, and an explanation of extreme values, or it is missing. An analysis that does not support the categorization of each variable values is provided, or it is missing. The response includes inaccurate and vague examples that do not support the explanations provided for each of the areas described, or it is missing. Summarize your interpretation of the descriptive statistics provided in the output for respondent’s age, highest school grade completed, race and ethnicity, currently employed, and family income from prior month. 45 (45%) – 50 (50%) The response accurately and clearly summarizes in detail the interpretation of the descriptive statistics provided. The response accurately and clearly evaluates in detail each of the variables presented, including an accurate and complete description of the sample size, the mean, the median, standard deviation, and the size and spread of the data. 40 (40%) – 44 (44%) The response accurately summarizes the interpretation of the descriptive statistics provided. The response accurately explains evaluates each of the variables presented, including an accurate description of the sample size, the mean, the median, standard deviation, and the size and spread of the data. 35 (35%) – 39 (39%) The response inaccurately or vaguely summarizes the interpretation of the descriptive statistics provided. The response inaccurately or vaguely evaluates each of the variables presented, including an inaccurate or vague description of the sample size, the mean, the median, the standard deviation, and the size and spread of the data. 0 (0%) – 34 (34%) The response inaccurately and vaguely summarizes the interpretation of the descriptive statistics provided, or it is missing. The response inaccurately and vaguely evaluates each of the variables presented, including an inaccurate and vague description of the sample size, the mean, the median, the standard deviation, and the size and spread of the data, or it is missing. Written Expression and Formatting – Paragraph Development and Organization: Paragraphs make clear points that support well-developed ideas, flow logically, and demonstrate continuity of ideas. Sentences are carefully focused—neither long and rambling nor short and lacking substance. A clear and comprehensive purpose statement and introduction is provided which delineates all required criteria. 5 (5%) – 5 (5%) Paragraphs and sentences follow writing standards for flow, continuity, and clarity. A clear and comprehensive purpose statement, introduction, and conclusion is provided which delineates all required criteria. 4 (4%) – 4 (4%) Paragraphs and sentences follow writing standards for flow, continuity, and clarity 80% of the time. Purpose, introduction, and conclusion of the assignment is stated, yet is brief and not descriptive. 3 (3%) – 3 (3%) Paragraphs and sentences follow writing standards for flow, continuity, and clarity 60%–79% of the time. Purpose, introduction, and conclusion of the assignment is vague or off topic. 0 (0%) – 2 (2%) Paragraphs and sentences follow writing standards for flow, continuity, and clarity < 60% of the time. No purpose statement, introduction, or conclusion was provided. Written Expression and Formatting – English writing standards: Correct grammar, mechanics, and proper punctuation 5 (5%) – 5 (5%) Uses correct grammar, spelling, and punctuation with no errors. 4 (4%) – 4 (4%) Contains a few (1 or 2) grammar, spelling, and punctuation errors. 3 (3%) – 3 (3%) Contains several (3 or 4) grammar, spelling, and punctuation errors. 0 (0%) – 2 (2%) Contains many (≥ 5) grammar, spelling, and punctuation errors that interfere with the reader’s understanding. Written Expression and Formatting – The paper follows correct APA format for title page, headings, font, spacing, margins, indentations, page numbers, parenthetical/in-text citations, and reference list. 5 (5%) – 5 (5%) Uses correct APA format with no errors. 4 (4%) – 4 (4%) Contains a few (1 or 2) APA format errors. 3 (3%) – 3 (3%) Contains several (3 or 4) APA format errors. 0 (0%) – 2 (2%) Contains many (≥ 5) APA format errors. Total Points: 100 Name: Assignment Rubric
Turn the brief into deliverables
- 01SPSS output for the named statistics.
- 02A stated rationale for the summary chosen for each variable.
- 03Interpretation of centre and spread in substantive terms.
- 04A note on any variable where the requested statistic is inappropriate.
Run it, read it, then say what it means
The dataset and its variables
Set out each variable and its level of measurement.
Frequencies and the categorical picture
Report distributions for nominal and ordinal variables.
Centre and spread for continuous variables
Report and justify mean or median with the matching dispersion measure.
What the numbers say
Interpret the distributions in terms of the population they describe.
Limits of this description
Note what these statistics cannot establish.
Getting the summary statistic right for the data type
Recommended databases
- StatPearls statistics chapters
- Your SPSS tutorials
- PubMed Central
- GCU Library statistics guides
Search sequence
- 1.Confirm which summary belongs to each level of measurement before running anything.
- 2.Look up how skew is diagnosed from centre statistics rather than from a plot alone.
- 3.Find one published paper reporting descriptives and note how much prose accompanies the table.
- 4.Check the standard deviation's interpretation for a roughly normal distribution.
Reference shortlist
These are authoritative starting points, not a ready-made bibliography. A qualified reviewer must confirm that each source fits the assignment and supports the claim beside which it is cited.
Nothing here is cleared for citation until you have read it.
- 01
Exploratory Data Analysis: Frequencies, Descriptive Statistics, Histograms, and Boxplots
StatPearls, NCBI Bookshelf · 2023
Covers frequencies, descriptive statistics and the graphical checks that tell you whether a mean is the right summary at all.
- 02
Epidemiology Morbidity And Mortality
StatPearls, NCBI Bookshelf · 2023
Shows how summary measures are reported and interpreted in a health context rather than an abstract one.
- 03
Study Bias
StatPearls, NCBI Bookshelf · 2023
Explains how unexamined distributions and sparse categories introduce bias into whatever follows.
- 04
Hypothesis Testing, P Values, Confidence Intervals, and Significance
StatPearls, NCBI Bookshelf · 2023
Sets the boundary this assignment must respect: what descriptive summaries can say before any inference is attempted.
Review before submission
Common mistakes
- Reporting a mean for a nominal variable because the software produced one.
- Transcribing the output into sentences and calling it interpretation.
- Ignoring a mean-median gap that signals skew.
- Omitting frequencies for the categorical variables in favour of the numeric ones.
Submission checklist
- Is every statistic appropriate to its variable's measurement level?
- Does the prose say something the table does not?
- Have you commented on skew where mean and median diverge?
- Did you flag categories with too few cases to analyse?
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Aaron Bishop
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