Which measure of central tendency is best for categorical nominal or ordinal data?
Which measure of central tendency is best for categorical nominal or ordinal data?
The mode
The mode is most useful when used with categorical (nominal, or ordinal) variables and when there is a relatively small sample size. The mode can be used with categorical variables because it does not require the data to be in a meaningful order. With large samples, it becomes very tedious to determine the mode.
Can central tendency be determined for ordinal data?
Central tendency The mean cannot be computed with ordinal data. Finding the mean requires you to perform arithmetic operations like addition and division on the values in the data set.
Can you use the median for ordinal data?
For an ordinal level or ranked data, you can also use the median to find the value in the middle of your data set. For interval or ratio levels, in addition to the mode and median, you can use the mean to find the average value.
What is the preferred measure of central tendency for scores measured on an ordinal scale?
the median
– When scores are measured on an ordinal scale, the median is always appropriate and is usually the preferred measure of central tendency.
What statistical test is used for ordinal data?
The most suitable statistical tests for ordinal data (e.g., Likert scale) are non-parametric tests, such as Mann-Whitney U test (one variable, no assumption on distribution), Wilcoxon signed rank sum test (two variables, normal distribution), Kruskal Wallis test (two or more groups, no assumption on distribution).
Can Chi Square be used for ordinal data?
If you have a lot of categories and/or small numbers in some groups, consider combining similar groups together. Chi-squared is meant for nominal rather than ordinal data.
Can I use median for ordinal data?
Which measure of central tendency works for nominal variables?
When should you use the mean, median or mode?
| Levels of measurement | Examples | Measure of central tendency |
|---|---|---|
| Nominal | Ethnicity Political ideology | Mode |
| Ordinal | Level of anxiety Income bracket | Mode Median |
| Interval and ratio | Reaction time Test score Temperature | Mode Median Mean |
Can chi square test be used for ordinal data?
The Chi-square test is a non-parametric statistic, also called a distribution free test. Non-parametric tests should be used when any one of the following conditions pertains to the data: The level of measurement of all the variables is nominal or ordinal.
Why is median and mode used for ordinal data?
The reason to choose the median is that it carries more information about the distribution than the mode and it is unambiguously acceptable for ordinal data (e.g., using the mean could be controversial, see: Calculate mean of ordinal variable).
