BCPPS Statistics Questions with Correct Answers
of the Latest Update 2024/2025
discrete variables - ✔✔counting variables
nominal - no order i.e. gender
ordinal - order, but no magnitude change i.e. pain scale)
continuous variables - ✔✔measuring variables
interval - consistent interval difference i.e. temp
ratio - similar to interval with zero as the starting point i.e. HR, BP
variable presentation - ✔✔nominal - frequency, percentage
ordinal - median, interquartile range
continuous - mean, SD, median, interquartile range
null hypothesis - ✔✔no difference between groups
group A = group B
alternative hypothesis - ✔✔difference exists between groups
distribution - ✔✔parametric - continuous data, normal distribution
nonparametric - nominal/ordinal data, data not normally distributed
type I error - ✔✔alpha
rejecting the null hypothesis when it is true
, false positive
<5% generally accepted
type II error - ✔✔beta
failing to reject the null hypothesis
false negative
20% generally accepted
power = 1 - beta
confidence interval - ✔✔gives an indication of where the outcome lies within the
population
calculated using the standard error of the mean
CI significance - ✔✔for differences, cannot cross 0
for proportions, odds ratios, relative risk ratios, cannot cross 1
p-value - ✔✔probability of obtaining the test statistic when the null hypothesis is
true
corresponds to type 1 error
relative risk - ✔✔probability of unfavorable outcome
RR = risk in exposed/risk in unexposed
cohort studies
odds ratio - ✔✔estimate of relative risk
OR = odds of outcome in exposed/odds of outcome in unexposed
of the Latest Update 2024/2025
discrete variables - ✔✔counting variables
nominal - no order i.e. gender
ordinal - order, but no magnitude change i.e. pain scale)
continuous variables - ✔✔measuring variables
interval - consistent interval difference i.e. temp
ratio - similar to interval with zero as the starting point i.e. HR, BP
variable presentation - ✔✔nominal - frequency, percentage
ordinal - median, interquartile range
continuous - mean, SD, median, interquartile range
null hypothesis - ✔✔no difference between groups
group A = group B
alternative hypothesis - ✔✔difference exists between groups
distribution - ✔✔parametric - continuous data, normal distribution
nonparametric - nominal/ordinal data, data not normally distributed
type I error - ✔✔alpha
rejecting the null hypothesis when it is true
, false positive
<5% generally accepted
type II error - ✔✔beta
failing to reject the null hypothesis
false negative
20% generally accepted
power = 1 - beta
confidence interval - ✔✔gives an indication of where the outcome lies within the
population
calculated using the standard error of the mean
CI significance - ✔✔for differences, cannot cross 0
for proportions, odds ratios, relative risk ratios, cannot cross 1
p-value - ✔✔probability of obtaining the test statistic when the null hypothesis is
true
corresponds to type 1 error
relative risk - ✔✔probability of unfavorable outcome
RR = risk in exposed/risk in unexposed
cohort studies
odds ratio - ✔✔estimate of relative risk
OR = odds of outcome in exposed/odds of outcome in unexposed
