PADP 7110 Lecture 4: PADP 7710 - Research Methods of Public Administration -- Lecture 4

• School: University of Georgia
• Department: Public Administration and Policy
• Course: PADP 7110
• Professor: Abraham

Document Summary

Attach numbers (or other symbols) to a set of categories for the purpose of naming, labeling, or classifying the observations. Variables with values that are mutually exclusive & exhaustive. Assign numbers to rank-ordered categories ranging from low to high. Cannot measure the distance between the categories (doesn"t have a precise numerical meaning) Categories of a variable can be rank-ordered & measurement for all the cases are expressed in the same units. Distance between categories is meaningful (numerically)/standardized & equal intervals. Numbers can be added & subtracted but ratios are not meaningful. Examples > temperature; year of birth; iq: ratio. Variables represents fixed measurement units & have a natural zero point. Numbers can be added & subtracted; multiplied & divided. Examples > age, total budget, annual income, number of times married, length of residence in a location: other terms for variables. Categorical variables = nominal & ordinal measures. Discrete variables = limited number of values.