This document discusses three types of questions about data distribution: central tendency, which represents the average or most common data point; spread, which is the dispersion or range of scores around the central tendency; and symmetry, which is the shape of the distribution and whether it is symmetrical or asymmetrical. Keywords for each type are provided.

1. These three question types deal with how the data in a distribution is laid out.
Central Tendency
Spread
Symmetry
Central Tendency, Spread, or Distribution Shape?
Represents the point or area in the distribution of data where
scores tend to predominate or cluster.
Look for words like, average, mean, median, most common,
center point etc.
Distributions of data will tend to have a dispersion or spread
of scores around the central tendency.
Look for words like spread, difference, deviation, range,
variation, etc.
Symmetry has to do with he shape of a distribution
When the distribution is symmetrical it has most of the
values in the middle with equally decreasing values to the
left and right of the distribution (as shown to the left).
A distribution is asymmetrical when it does not follow this
pattern (see the bottom two images to the left).
You normally will not be asked to assess skew directly but it
is an important step in determining the type of spread or
central tendency statistics you will run.