Frequency tables are simple yet effective tools used to organize and summarize data by displaying how often each value or category occurs in a dataset. They are widely used in statistics, research, and evaluation to provide a clear overview of data distribution, making it easier to spot patterns, trends, or irregularities.
Structure of a Frequency Table #
A typical frequency table includes:
- Categories or values: The distinct responses or data points.
- Frequency: The number of times each category or value appears in the dataset.
- Cumulative frequency (optional): The running total of frequencies up to each category.
- Percentage (optional): The proportion of each category relative to the total.
For example:
A teacher conducted a short quiz for her class of 32 students, where each student could score between 1 and 4 points. After collecting the results, she wanted to see how the scores were distributed among the students. She created the following frequency table:
| Score | Frequency |
| 1 | 5 |
| 2 | 12 |
| 3 | 8 |
| 4 | 7 |
Benefits of Frequency Tables #
Frequency tables:
- Simplify data: Turn raw data into a more understandable format.
- Identify patterns: Help reveal common responses or outliers.
- Support further analysis: Can be the basis for creating charts, graphs, or statistical tests.
Limitations of Frequency Tables #
While useful for summarizing categorical or discrete data, frequency tables are less suited for large datasets with numerous unique values, where graphical representations might be more effective.
Frequency tables, thus, offer a straightforward way to organize data, allowing researchers and evaluators to quickly grasp the distribution and frequency of responses within a dataset.
List of recommended resources #
For a broad overview #
Frequency Distribution | Tables, Types & Examples
This article by Shaun Turney for Scribbr gives a broad overview of frequency distribution tables, the different kinds of frequency distributions, as well as how to create frequency tables.
Understand Frequency Tables, Cumulative & Relative Frequency in Statistics
This video tutorial by Math and Science on YouTube gives an overview of what a frequency table is and how to construct a frequency table from raw data. The video also elaborates on cumulative frequency and relative frequency along with examples.
For in-depth understanding #
Answering Questions With Statistics
This book by Robert Szafran makes introductory statistics interesting through comparing data on today’s student generation with their parents’ generation, and asking students to consider how people change as they grow older. Szafran, in this exemplary book, attempts to teach basic statistics using SPSS.
Introduction to Statistics and Frequency Distributions
This book by Sage Publications provides an introductory guide to a statistics course, outlining learning objectives, study strategies, required math skills, and software options for statistical analysis.
Case study #
BEEPS At-A-Glance 2011 : Russia
This note for the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD)- World Bank business environment and enterprise performance survey (BEEPS) focuses on the key BEEPS questionnaires for 2008 and 2011 and presents weighted averages or frequency distributions over all firms with non-missing data.
HIV/AIDS in Latin American Countries : The Challenges Ahead
This report by Anabela Garcia Abreu, Isabel Noguer, and Karen Cowgill provides an epidemiological surveillance of HIV/AIDS in Latin American countries. Epidemiological surveillance is essential for controlling epidemics, as it tracks the frequency distribution and progression of HIV/AIDS within populations, identifies groups at higher risk, and assesses how effective prevention strategies are in reducing the spread of the disease.
