CompTIA DA0-001 Practice Test - Questions Answers, Page 20

Missing data is a type of data quality issue that occurs when some values in a data set are not recorded or available. Missing data can affect the validity and reliability of survey results, especially if the missing values are not random or ignorable. Missing data can also reduce the sample size and the statistical power of the analysis12

If 100% participation is needed on survey results, a data analyst would look for missing data first, because missing data would indicate that some participants did not complete or submit the survey, or that some responses were not recorded or transmitted correctly. A data analyst would need to identify the causes and patterns of missing data, and apply appropriate methods to handle or prevent missing data, such as imputation, deletion, weighting, or follow-up12

The correct answer is B. Recoding.

Recoding is a data manipulation technique that involves changing the values or categories of a variable to make it more suitable for analysis. Recoding can be used to simplify or group the data, to correct errors or inconsistencies, or to create new variables from existing ones12

In the example, the analyst used recoding to change the values of Var001, Var002, Var003, and Var004 from numerical to textual form. The analyst also used recoding to assign meaningful labels to the values, such as "Absent" for 0, "Present" for 1, "Low" for 2, "Medium" for 3, and "High" for 4.

This makes the data more understandable and easier to analyze.

Correcting the dates so they have the same format is the most important thing for an analyst to do when transforming the table for a trend analysis. Trend analysis is a method of analyzing data over time to identify patterns, changes, or relationships. To perform a trend analysis, the data needs to have a consistent and comparable format, especially for the date or time variables.

In the example, the date purchased column has two different formats: YYYY-MM-DD and MM/DD/YYYY. This could cause errors or confusion when sorting, filtering, or plotting the data over time. Therefore, the analyst should correct the dates so they have the same format, such as YYYYMM-DD, which is a standard and unambiguous format.

The best sampling method for the data analyst's need is C. Stratified sampling.

Stratified sampling is a type of probability sampling that involves dividing the population into homogeneous groups or strata based on some characteristic, such as state, and then randomly selecting a proportional number of individuals from each stratum. Stratified sampling ensures that every group is adequately represented in the sample, and reduces the sampling error and variability12

Systematic sampling is not correct, because it involves selecting every nth individual from the population, starting from a random point. Systematic sampling does not guarantee that every state will have a similar proportion of data in the sample, and may introduce bias or error if there is a hidden pattern or order in the population12

Convenience sampling is not correct, because it involves selecting individuals who are easily accessible or available to the researcher. Convenience sampling is a type of non-probability sampling that does not involve random selection, and may result in a biased or unrepresentative sample12 Random sampling is not correct, because it involves selecting individuals from the population at random, without any grouping or stratification. Random sampling may not produce a sample that has a similar proportion of data from every state, especially if the population is large or heterogeneous.

Random sampling may also have a higher sampling error and variability than stratified sampling12