Access -- calculate "median" and "mode"

see this link

Finding the Median Value for Fields in Access

Calculate Mode:
SELECT TOP 1 Amt, Count(*) AS Mode
FROM YourTable
GROUP BY Amt
ORDER BY Count(*) DESC, Amt DESC;

This method ignores ties.

@Rey:

Thank you for the link... I've read the information.   I wasn't successful calling the function "DMedian" from the query.   I'm sure I did something wrong.    Btw, the link to the sample db isn't working any longer.

@PatHartmann:
Thank you... I was able to calculate the mode in a query (based on your feedback).   Ideally though, based on my requirement for using dynamic SQL statements, is there a way to use the SQL code in a module/function... and then call the function in a query via, e.g., "ModeValue: Mode([LikertValu])?   If yes, how can this be done?

Thank you,
EEH

You can also "reference" the Excel Median/Mode function, ...then use code to use this in a function in Access
I have a simple sample file I can upload if you like.

There are several EE articles you might want to check out.  Look in the right hand sidebar of this page under "Deeper MS Access Learning".  Patrick Matthews has an article which covers Median and Mode thoroughly with sample code, queries and a sample database:

https://www.experts-exchange.com/Database/MS_Access/A_2529-Median-Mode-Skewness-and-Kurtosis-in-MS-Access.html

Jeffrey Coachman -- yes, I definitely would like to view your example.   Thank you in advance for sharing it!

mbizup -- I'll check out the reading material.   Thanks for posting the link.

I will see if I can dig up that sample tonight.

In the mean time you can investigate the info that mbizup posted...

Will do... thank you, Jeffrey.

@ExpExchHelp
Btw, the link to the sample db isn't working any longer.
EE presently has bug in downloading .accdb files
If you right click them, change the dialog to 'All Files' and rename them to .accdb, they can be downloaded and run.

PITA, and I do have a bug notice in about it.

As with PatHartmann's code, ties are ignored

The reason ties are ignored is that
a) a SQL "Select Top 1 ..." is only going to return one value and
b) It's a bit hellish to code

If you have a set 1,2,2,2,3 your mode function can return something numeric, like an integer or a long
If you have a set 1.1, 2.1. 2.2, 2.2, 2.2 ,3.0 you can still return something numeric like a single.
If you allow ties and need them, well
A set like 1,2,2,2,3,3,3,4,4,4,5,5,5,5,6 is going to return --and have to return-- a string like 2,3,4,5
And that's really no fun.

Testing the string, is there more than one element, what's the delimiter, running a Split, coercing the fragments...
Well, you get the idea.
Not a lot of fun, all the way down the line.

Nick67:

I think this is an excellent solution... thank you for providing it.

In the test database, all values appear to be computed correctly.   I will integrate your solution into the actual database early next week.   Some of my existing queries do not use the "group by"... so I have to see whether or not this may cause a conflict.  

If I end up w/ a follow-up question, I will post any issues and refer to a new post (i.e., question).  

I'd like to thank everyone for contributing to this solution.   Nick's proposed solution, however, best addresses the requirements.   Again, thanks!!

EEH

Excellent solution!!

Nick67:

Quick follow-up question.    As part of the dataset, a 5-point Likert scale is used.   For survey respondents who didn't know the answer to a question, a value of 999 is automatically being entered.   That criteria (999 = null) cannot change.

In order to exclude any 999 values (for calculation of average, variance, and standard deviation), I have been using the following expressions in my queries:
Average: Avg(IIf([LikertValue]=999,Null,[LikertValue]))

Based on the module (calculation for median and mode), I've tried to use the sample principle to change the expression for the, e.g., median from/to:

From:
Median: MedianValue("Table1","LikertValue")

To:
Median: IIf(MedianValue("Table1","LikertValue")=999,Null,MedianValue("Table1","LikertValue"))

Unfortunately, that did not work and it still shows, e.g., a median of "502" when using the following sample data:
LikertValue
1
2
2
5
5
999
999
999
999
999

My question:  How can I modify the expression so that the 999 values are excluded from calculating the median and/or mode?

Thanks,
EEH

Alter the recordset opening command as appropriate.  This for Mode:
Set rs = CurrentDb.OpenRecordset("SELECT TOP 1 " & FieldName & " , Count(*) AS Mode  FROM " & BaseObjectName & " where " & FieldName & " is not null GROUP BY " & FieldName & " ORDER BY Count(*) DESC," & FieldName & " DESC;", dbOpenDynaset, dbSeeChanges)

We are already excluding Null
Now throw out 999 too

Set rs = CurrentDb.OpenRecordset("SELECT TOP 1 " & FieldName & " , Count(*) AS Mode  FROM " & BaseObjectName & " where " & FieldName & " is not null AND " & FieldName & " <> 999 GROUP BY " & FieldName & " ORDER BY Count(*) DESC," & FieldName & " DESC;", dbOpenDynaset, dbSeeChanges)

This for median
Set rs = CurrentDb.OpenRecordset("SELECT " & FieldName & " FROM " & BaseObjectName & " where " & FieldName & " is not null AND " & FieldName & " <> 999 ORDER BY " & FieldName & ";", dbOpenDynaset, dbSeeChanges)

Nick67:

Brilliant!!   I've modified the one for the median first... it now compute "2" in the dataset.   :)


For the mode, I actually realized that I may need to include the '999' values.   Here's why:  As mentioned, '999' is an arbitrary value that stands for "I don't know the answer to the question" (or "N/A").

If the majority of survey respondents chose 999 for a specific answer, then I think I should return the mode as 999.   Do you agree with that assumption?   Or do you think it also should be excluded?

EEH

It's your data, and you are the one analyzing it.
The mode function is tricky to use in programming.
We haven't built a mode function that returns data about multi-modal data.
We have told the function to return the same multi-modal result each time (smallest field value of the ties)

2,2,3,3,4,4,5,5 have a mode of 2, 3, 4 and 5
The function returns 2

Does the 999 value say something useful?
Then leave it in for mode

Is it so much higher than the 'real' values that if it were used in a median calculation it would skew the daylights out of the value, then leave it out

You could build functions that count 999 and total records and return the % of 999 in the sample.

It's your call

Nick67:

Thank you for the additional feedback... I appreciate it.

999 is used for coding any N/A (or "I don't know the answers) responses.    So, in the event the majority of participants selected this value, having such information (as part of the mode) is of value to us as well.

For the median, I may duplicate the function (obviously renaming function/variable names) and then have "median with N/A" and "median without N/A".  

Either way, your solutions for calculating both median and mode are most elegant.

Cheers,
EEH

Glad to be of service

Nick67