Song copyright by Gary Cziko
Well I [G] got me some data [C] to make me more [G] wise,
But the [C] data I [G] had to [D7] summarize,
Since my [G] Ed Psych 480 I did [C] mem-o-[G]-rize ,
I [C] knew just [D7] what to [G] do.
Refrain: Oh, the [D7] mode, the mean, and the [C] med-i-[G]-an,
For a [C] large set of [G] data you [D7] choose just one,
As a typical value we [C] have these [G] three
Measures [C] of Central [D7] Ten-den-[G]-cy.
Now the [G] mode is quite easy to [C] find, you [G] see,
But it [C] suffers from [G] insta-[D7]-bil-ity,
Yet for [G] categorical data use it [C] confident-[G]- ly,
There [C] just ain't no [D7] other [G] choice.
Repeat Refrain
If you [G] like to rank data use the [C] me-di-[G]-an,
It's so [C] much [G] fun to find the [D7] middle one,
But if [G] you have two middle values [C] not [G] one
Their [C] midpoint is [D7] what [G] you need.
Repeat Refrain
The [G] a-rith-metic mean may be [C] your best [G] bet,
And [C] you can be [G] sure that I'll [D7] never for-get,
It [G] reflects all the values of the [C] data [G] set,
[C] E-ven those [D7] quite [G] ex-treme.