In: Statistics and Probability
The researcher changes the exam, slightly, every few years. Therefore, the researcher prefers to measure exam performance in an ordered fashion. He notes the highest score as 1st, the second highest score as 2nd, and so on for all 50 students.
Is exam performance in this study a continuous or discrete
measurement?
Is exam performance a nominal, ordinal, interval, or ratio
measurement? Why?
Solution:
A discrete variable can take countable values. They cannot be in decimals or fractions.
A continuous variable can take any values. They can be in decimals or fractions or a whole number.
Given the above definitions, the exam performance in this study is a discrete measurement.
The difference between various levels of measurements are:
Given the above definitions, the exam performance in this study is an ordinal measurement.