Lyrics © Mary McLellan
may sing to the tune of "BINGO"
When the data that you have goes through a transformation
Addition and subtract, addition and subtract
Addition and subtract
Affects the center only
When the data that you have goes through a transformation
Multiply and divide, multiply and divide, multiply and divide
Affects them both
Lyrics © Mary McLellan
may sing to the tune of Fun's"We Are Young"
Give me a second now
I need to get my words straight
I need to learn the vocab that is all about the data’s shape
Uniformed, symmetrical, skewed to the right and the left
Will there be an outlier or is the shape regular
I know I then choose the center, though…
Do I pick mean or median?
So that I don’t get confused the spread that I choose to use is IQR or standard deviation
When the AP test approaches and I want to get a 5, I know what to do:
Describe the distribution
Shape and outliers
Center and spread
Describe the distribution
Shape and outliers
Center and spread
When the AP test approaches and I want to get a 5, this song will help me to thrive
Lyrics © 2016 Lawrence M. Lesser
may sing to the tune of the Beatles' "Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds"
Picture statistics in the newspaper
With context all missing or half summarized;
Somebody chose just who would be surveyed
And the order the items arise.
Stats are each chosen and given a setting, polished and cut for a view:
Look for the angle that reaches your eyes when they're done.
CHORUS: This is how stats are like diamonds,
This is how stats are like diamonds,
This is how stats are like diamonds, ahhh……
Follow the chain of a long calculation
For students who view stats as math mechanized.
But when you tell them "all stats are constructed",
Their eyebrows will rise up so high!
Newspaper numbers appear on page 4, labelled and grouped for display:
Like a nice gem, this story now sparkled, unlike rocks. (Repeat Chorus)
Picture a stat with no error or bias,
Without a confounder that's lurking disguised.
Take care that you see how that stat is presented:
Most jewels have a flaw to apprise. (Repeat Chorus twice)