BCBA UPDATED EXAM COMPREHENSIVE
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS SURE A+
✔✔Data - ✔✔Results of measurement.
Empirical basis for decision-making.
✔✔Graphs - ✔✔Visual format for displaying data.
Reveals relations among & between a series of measurements & relevant variables.
Helps people make sense of quantitative information.
✔✔3 Purposes of Graphs - ✔✔CAID
Communicate: communicates our data
Asses: helps us to assess data correctly
IV/DV: shows how the DV & IV are related to one another
✔✔5 Benefit of Graphs - ✔✔1. Immediate picture of an individual's bx.
2. Allows you to explore interesting variations in bx as they are occurring.
3. Judgmental aid to help you interpret the results of a study or treatment.
4. A conservative method for determining the significance of bx change, because a bx
change that is statistically significant may not look impressive on a graph.
5. Independent judgment & evaluation of the data.
,✔✔5 Types of ABA Graphs - ✔✔LBCSS
Line Graphs
Bar Graphs
Cumulative Records
Semilogarithmic Charts
Scatter Plots
✔✔Equal-Interval Graphs - ✔✔AKA: Arithmetic Charts; Add-Subtract Charts
Graphs in which the distance between any 2 consecutive points on BOTH the x-axis &
y-axis is always the same.
Line Graphs
Bar Graphs
Cumulative Records
Scatter Plots
✔✔Line Graphs - ✔✔AKA: Frequency Polygons
Most common graphs in ABA.
Use a balanced ratio between the height & width of the axes.
Y-axis should be shorter than x-axis.
Each point on a line graph shows the level of some quantifiable dimension of the DV in
relation to the IV.
Comparing data points lets us examine level, trend, & variability.
✔✔Horizontal Axis - ✔✔AKA: X-axis or Abscissa
Represents passage of time & the presence, absence, or value of the IV.
Left to right passing of time in EQUAL INTERVALS.
Utilize a scale break to represent discontinuities in time.
✔✔Vertical Axis - ✔✔AKA: Y-axis or Ordinate
Represents full range of values of the DV.
Scaling of this axis is really important to see changes in the level, trend & variability in
data.
✔✔Origin - ✔✔Intersection of the horizontal & vertical axis.
Usually represents the zero value of the DV.
Should be marked at zero.
✔✔Condition Change Lines - ✔✔Vertical lines drawn upward from x-axis to show points
in time at which changes in the IV occurred.
, Solid Lines = major changes
Dashed Lines = minor changes
✔✔Condition Labels - ✔✔A label, written at the top & parallel to the x-axs, that
describes experimental conditions in effect during each phase of research.
✔✔Data Points - ✔✔Has 2 meanings:
1. A quantifiable measure of the target bx recorded during a given observation period.
2. The time &/or experimental conditions under which that particular measurement was
conducted.
Different symbols are used to show more than one set of data on the graph.
✔✔Data Path - ✔✔Connects successive data points with a straight line. Illustrates level
& trend of bx between 2 consecutive data points.
The data path should be examined to interpret graphs.
✔✔Figure Caption - ✔✔Concise statement that provides information to identify the IV &
DV. Also explains symbols used & unplanned event.
Printed below graph.
✔✔When data points should not be connected - ✔✔1. Data points fall on either side of
a condition change line.
2. Time has passed & the bx was not measured.
3. There was a discontinuity in time on the x-axis.
4. Data were not collected, lost, etc.
5. Follow-up or post-check data.
✔✔Line Graph Vairations - ✔✔-2 or more DIMENSIONS of the SAME bx
-2 or more different BXs
-Measure of the same bx under DIFFERENT CONDITIONS
-Changing VALUES of the IV
-Same bx of 2 or MORE PARTICIPANTS
✔✔Bar Graphs - ✔✔AKA: Histograms
Similar to the line graph.
NO distinct data points representing successive response measures through time!
Does NOT allow for analysis of variability & trend in bx.
Use when:
-displaying separate sets of data that ARE NOT related to one another.
-summarizing performance within a condition or a group of individuals
✔✔Cumulative Records - ✔✔Developed by Skinner to record data in EAB research in
1957.
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS SURE A+
✔✔Data - ✔✔Results of measurement.
Empirical basis for decision-making.
✔✔Graphs - ✔✔Visual format for displaying data.
Reveals relations among & between a series of measurements & relevant variables.
Helps people make sense of quantitative information.
✔✔3 Purposes of Graphs - ✔✔CAID
Communicate: communicates our data
Asses: helps us to assess data correctly
IV/DV: shows how the DV & IV are related to one another
✔✔5 Benefit of Graphs - ✔✔1. Immediate picture of an individual's bx.
2. Allows you to explore interesting variations in bx as they are occurring.
3. Judgmental aid to help you interpret the results of a study or treatment.
4. A conservative method for determining the significance of bx change, because a bx
change that is statistically significant may not look impressive on a graph.
5. Independent judgment & evaluation of the data.
,✔✔5 Types of ABA Graphs - ✔✔LBCSS
Line Graphs
Bar Graphs
Cumulative Records
Semilogarithmic Charts
Scatter Plots
✔✔Equal-Interval Graphs - ✔✔AKA: Arithmetic Charts; Add-Subtract Charts
Graphs in which the distance between any 2 consecutive points on BOTH the x-axis &
y-axis is always the same.
Line Graphs
Bar Graphs
Cumulative Records
Scatter Plots
✔✔Line Graphs - ✔✔AKA: Frequency Polygons
Most common graphs in ABA.
Use a balanced ratio between the height & width of the axes.
Y-axis should be shorter than x-axis.
Each point on a line graph shows the level of some quantifiable dimension of the DV in
relation to the IV.
Comparing data points lets us examine level, trend, & variability.
✔✔Horizontal Axis - ✔✔AKA: X-axis or Abscissa
Represents passage of time & the presence, absence, or value of the IV.
Left to right passing of time in EQUAL INTERVALS.
Utilize a scale break to represent discontinuities in time.
✔✔Vertical Axis - ✔✔AKA: Y-axis or Ordinate
Represents full range of values of the DV.
Scaling of this axis is really important to see changes in the level, trend & variability in
data.
✔✔Origin - ✔✔Intersection of the horizontal & vertical axis.
Usually represents the zero value of the DV.
Should be marked at zero.
✔✔Condition Change Lines - ✔✔Vertical lines drawn upward from x-axis to show points
in time at which changes in the IV occurred.
, Solid Lines = major changes
Dashed Lines = minor changes
✔✔Condition Labels - ✔✔A label, written at the top & parallel to the x-axs, that
describes experimental conditions in effect during each phase of research.
✔✔Data Points - ✔✔Has 2 meanings:
1. A quantifiable measure of the target bx recorded during a given observation period.
2. The time &/or experimental conditions under which that particular measurement was
conducted.
Different symbols are used to show more than one set of data on the graph.
✔✔Data Path - ✔✔Connects successive data points with a straight line. Illustrates level
& trend of bx between 2 consecutive data points.
The data path should be examined to interpret graphs.
✔✔Figure Caption - ✔✔Concise statement that provides information to identify the IV &
DV. Also explains symbols used & unplanned event.
Printed below graph.
✔✔When data points should not be connected - ✔✔1. Data points fall on either side of
a condition change line.
2. Time has passed & the bx was not measured.
3. There was a discontinuity in time on the x-axis.
4. Data were not collected, lost, etc.
5. Follow-up or post-check data.
✔✔Line Graph Vairations - ✔✔-2 or more DIMENSIONS of the SAME bx
-2 or more different BXs
-Measure of the same bx under DIFFERENT CONDITIONS
-Changing VALUES of the IV
-Same bx of 2 or MORE PARTICIPANTS
✔✔Bar Graphs - ✔✔AKA: Histograms
Similar to the line graph.
NO distinct data points representing successive response measures through time!
Does NOT allow for analysis of variability & trend in bx.
Use when:
-displaying separate sets of data that ARE NOT related to one another.
-summarizing performance within a condition or a group of individuals
✔✔Cumulative Records - ✔✔Developed by Skinner to record data in EAB research in
1957.
