A researcher computes the absolute difference between the highest and lowest score in a data set. What statistic is this?

The absolute difference between the highest and lowest score in a data set is known as the range. The range is a simple descriptive statistic that provides an overview of the spread or dispersion of values within a dataset. It is calculated by taking the maximum value and subtracting the minimum value, effectively showing the total span of data points.

This statistic is particularly useful as it gives a quick sense of how wide the values are spread apart, which can be important in various analyses. In contrast, variance and standard deviation measure the variability of data in more complex ways that account for deviations from the mean, while the mean itself is a measure of central tendency, representing the average score. Therefore, recognizing that the range focuses solely on the extremes within the data is crucial for comprehending its role in statistical analysis.