Data Visualization Using Boxplots: Comparison of Metalloid, Metal, and Nonmetal Chemical and Physical Properties

Abstract

In this activity, students observe chemical and physical properties of elements using an online periodic table, where these properties were shown numerically and by colors. Then the elements were divided into metals, nonmetals, and metalloids, and their periodic properties were visualized using statistical concepts such as normality, kurtosis, histograms, Q−Q plots, p values, and, most important, boxplots. These statistical tests were carried out using JASP, which is free and opensource software written in the R language.

Teaching Descriptive Statistics and Hypothesis Tests Measuring Water Density

“…Positive skewness shows that the mode moves to the left, resulting in a right tail. The distribution plot (Figure ) shows that the data were negatively skewed . Thus, the data have a negative skewness (Table ).…”

“…If the data are normally distributed, then the points will fall on or near the 45° reference line. If the data is not normally distributed, the points will deviate from the reference line . The Q–Q plots show that iron concentrations in fish feed reference material (Figure ) and kale samples (Figure ) were not normally distributed.…”

“…The students that did this experiment had no previous experience in statistical calculation, but they were introduced to boxplots using the periodic table properties. 12 The JASP does hypothesis tests in a click-and-go manner. It did several plots, such as boxplots, rainclouds, and discriminant plots, which provide an interpretation beyond the p-value interpretation.…”

“…The distribution plot (Figure 1) shows that the data were negatively skewed. 12 Thus, the data have a negative skewness (Table 1).…”

“…In our previous works, two or three independent methods were compared using the t test and ANOVA. Statistical calculations were conducted using spreadsheets, and the interpretation of statistical tests was conducted using p -values. − However, the use of histograms, boxplots, and raincloud plots enrages students understanding. − …”