AP®︎ Statistics (pre-2026): Topic 3.2 Flashcards

Master key terms and definitions for Topic 3.2 of AP Statistics (pre-2026) – Introduction to Planning a Study to help you prep for quizzes and the AP exam.

This course has been archived. The College Board updated AP Statistics for the 2026–27 school year, and the units and topics changed.
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Term

Population

Definition

All individuals or items of interest in a statistical study.

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Population
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All individuals or items of interest in a statistical study.

DAT-2.ADAT-2.A.1
Sample
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A subset of the population from which data are actually collected.

DAT-2.ADAT-2.A.2
Census
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A study that collects data from every individual in the population.

DAT-2.A
Observational Study
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A study that records variables without imposing treatments on individuals.

DAT-2.ADAT-2.A.3
Retrospective vs. Prospective Observational Study
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Retrospective examines existing past data; prospective follows subjects forward while collecting future data.

DAT-2.ADAT-2.A.3
Sample Survey
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An observational study that gathers data from a sample to learn about its population.

DAT-2.ADAT-2.A.3
Experiment
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A study that imposes treatments by assigning subjects or units to conditions.

DAT-2.ADAT-2.A.4
Treatment
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A specific experimental condition imposed on subjects or experimental units.

DAT-2.ADAT-2.A.4
Experimental Units / Subjects
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The individuals or items to which treatments are assigned in an experiment.

DAT-2.ADAT-2.A.4
Association vs. Causation
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Association is a relationship between variables; causation means changes in one directly produce changes in another.

DAT-2.BDAT-2.B.3
Confounding
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When two variables' effects on a response are mixed so their separate influences cannot be distinguished.

DAT-2.BDAT-2.B.3
Generalizability
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The extent to which sample results can reasonably be applied to a population.

DAT-2.BDAT-2.B.1
Representative Sample
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A sample that accurately reflects important characteristics of the population of interest.

DAT-2.BDAT-2.B.1
Population of Generalization
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The population to which study results may be applied, limited to the population sampled.

DAT-2.BDAT-2.B.2
Random Sample
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A sample chosen by chance so each population member has a known selection probability.

DAT-2.BDAT-2.B.1