When can i use a normal distribution to describe my data?
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I have dataset which is markedly left-skewed, and I wonder if it will be inappropriate to use the normal distribution curve to analyses the data given it's highly skewed?
Picture of my data
statistics normal-distribution data-analysis
asked Nov 21 at 16:17
pete415
12
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up vote
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I have dataset which is markedly left-skewed, and I wonder if it will be inappropriate to use the normal distribution curve to analyses the data given it's highly skewed?
Picture of my data
statistics normal-distribution data-analysis
asked Nov 21 at 16:17
pete415
12
More importantly, you data seems to be positive. Normal distribution is almost never suited for such cases.
– Federico
Nov 21 at 16:19
Do you why that is? :)
– pete415
Nov 21 at 16:24
What? Why your data is positive? Or why the normal distribution is not suited for positive data? I think both are pretty clear...
– Federico
Nov 21 at 16:26
How exactly do you want to analyze your data?
– lisyarus
Nov 21 at 16:27
Can you tell us more about the underlying data? Is it continuous or discrete? Bounded from below/above? It's not clear from the picture
– Federico
Nov 21 at 16:31
add a comment |
up vote
0
down vote
favorite
up vote
0
down vote
favorite
I have dataset which is markedly left-skewed, and I wonder if it will be inappropriate to use the normal distribution curve to analyses the data given it's highly skewed?
Picture of my data
statistics normal-distribution data-analysis
asked Nov 21 at 16:17
pete415
12
I have dataset which is markedly left-skewed, and I wonder if it will be inappropriate to use the normal distribution curve to analyses the data given it's highly skewed?
Picture of my data
statistics normal-distribution data-analysis
statistics normal-distribution data-analysis
asked Nov 21 at 16:17
pete415
12
asked Nov 21 at 16:17
pete415
12
edited Nov 21 at 16:24
asked Nov 21 at 16:17
pete415
12
asked Nov 21 at 16:17
pete415
12
asked Nov 21 at 16:17
pete415
12
12
More importantly, you data seems to be positive. Normal distribution is almost never suited for such cases.
– Federico
Nov 21 at 16:19
Do you why that is? :)
– pete415
Nov 21 at 16:24
What? Why your data is positive? Or why the normal distribution is not suited for positive data? I think both are pretty clear...
– Federico
Nov 21 at 16:26
How exactly do you want to analyze your data?
– lisyarus
Nov 21 at 16:27
Can you tell us more about the underlying data? Is it continuous or discrete? Bounded from below/above? It's not clear from the picture
– Federico
Nov 21 at 16:31
add a comment |
More importantly, you data seems to be positive. Normal distribution is almost never suited for such cases.
– Federico
Nov 21 at 16:19
Do you why that is? :)
– pete415
Nov 21 at 16:24
What? Why your data is positive? Or why the normal distribution is not suited for positive data? I think both are pretty clear...
– Federico
Nov 21 at 16:26
How exactly do you want to analyze your data?
– lisyarus
Nov 21 at 16:27
Can you tell us more about the underlying data? Is it continuous or discrete? Bounded from below/above? It's not clear from the picture
– Federico
Nov 21 at 16:31
More importantly, you data seems to be positive. Normal distribution is almost never suited for such cases.
– Federico
Nov 21 at 16:19
More importantly, you data seems to be positive. Normal distribution is almost never suited for such cases.
– Federico
Nov 21 at 16:19
Do you why that is? :)
– pete415
Nov 21 at 16:24
Do you why that is? :)
– pete415
Nov 21 at 16:24
What? Why your data is positive? Or why the normal distribution is not suited for positive data? I think both are pretty clear...
– Federico
Nov 21 at 16:26
What? Why your data is positive? Or why the normal distribution is not suited for positive data? I think both are pretty clear...
– Federico
Nov 21 at 16:26
How exactly do you want to analyze your data?
– lisyarus
Nov 21 at 16:27
How exactly do you want to analyze your data?
– lisyarus
Nov 21 at 16:27
Can you tell us more about the underlying data? Is it continuous or discrete? Bounded from below/above? It's not clear from the picture
– Federico
Nov 21 at 16:31
Can you tell us more about the underlying data? Is it continuous or discrete? Bounded from below/above? It's not clear from the picture
– Federico
Nov 21 at 16:31
add a comment |
1 Answer
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1
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Your data seems to be non-negative. The normal distribution is almost never well suited for such case. You might want to try a gamma distribution, possibly just an exponential distribution.
Moreover, you should consider if your data is continuous or discrete. In the latter case, you might prefer Poisson distribution or geometric distribution.
If your data is also bounded from above, then beta distribution and binomial distribution are an option.
answered Nov 21 at 16:24
Federico
4,087512
add a comment |
1 Answer
1
active
oldest
votes
1 Answer
1
active
oldest
votes
active
oldest
votes
active
oldest
votes
up vote
1
down vote
accepted
Your data seems to be non-negative. The normal distribution is almost never well suited for such case. You might want to try a gamma distribution, possibly just an exponential distribution.
Moreover, you should consider if your data is continuous or discrete. In the latter case, you might prefer Poisson distribution or geometric distribution.
If your data is also bounded from above, then beta distribution and binomial distribution are an option.
answered Nov 21 at 16:24
Federico
4,087512
add a comment |
up vote
1
down vote
accepted
Your data seems to be non-negative. The normal distribution is almost never well suited for such case. You might want to try a gamma distribution, possibly just an exponential distribution.
Moreover, you should consider if your data is continuous or discrete. In the latter case, you might prefer Poisson distribution or geometric distribution.
If your data is also bounded from above, then beta distribution and binomial distribution are an option.
answered Nov 21 at 16:24
Federico
4,087512
add a comment |
up vote
1
down vote
accepted
up vote
1
down vote
accepted
Your data seems to be non-negative. The normal distribution is almost never well suited for such case. You might want to try a gamma distribution, possibly just an exponential distribution.
Moreover, you should consider if your data is continuous or discrete. In the latter case, you might prefer Poisson distribution or geometric distribution.
If your data is also bounded from above, then beta distribution and binomial distribution are an option.
answered Nov 21 at 16:24
Federico
4,087512
Your data seems to be non-negative. The normal distribution is almost never well suited for such case. You might want to try a gamma distribution, possibly just an exponential distribution.
Moreover, you should consider if your data is continuous or discrete. In the latter case, you might prefer Poisson distribution or geometric distribution.
If your data is also bounded from above, then beta distribution and binomial distribution are an option.
answered Nov 21 at 16:24
Federico
4,087512
edited Nov 21 at 16:29
answered Nov 21 at 16:24
Federico
4,087512
answered Nov 21 at 16:24
Federico
4,087512
answered Nov 21 at 16:24
Federico
4,087512
4,087512
add a comment |
add a comment |
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More importantly, you data seems to be positive. Normal distribution is almost never suited for such cases.
– Federico
Nov 21 at 16:19
Do you why that is? :)
– pete415
Nov 21 at 16:24
What? Why your data is positive? Or why the normal distribution is not suited for positive data? I think both are pretty clear...
– Federico
Nov 21 at 16:26
How exactly do you want to analyze your data?
– lisyarus
Nov 21 at 16:27
Can you tell us more about the underlying data? Is it continuous or discrete? Bounded from below/above? It's not clear from the picture
– Federico
Nov 21 at 16:31