Pronunciation: [ba͡ɪsˈi͡əɹɪə͡l] (IPA) 
The word "biserial" is spelled with a "bi-" prefix, meaning "two", and a suffix "-erial" meaning "arranged in rows". The first syllable is pronounced with a short "i" sound, IPA symbol [bɪ], and the second syllable is pronounced with a long "e" sound, IPA symbol [siːrɪəl]. The stress is on the second syllable: [bi-SI-ree-əl]. Biserial refers to an arrangement of items in two rows, like feathers on a bird's wing or shark's teeth.
Biserial is a term commonly used in statistics or data analysis to describe a type of correlation or relationship between two variables. Specifically, it refers to a situation where one variable is dichotomous (divided into two categories or groups), while the other variable is continuous or measured on an interval scale.
In a biserial relationship, one variable is typically considered the independent variable, while the other is the dependent variable. The biserial correlation coefficient is used to quantify the strength and direction of this relationship. It can take values between -1 to +1, where a positive value indicates a positive correlation, a negative value indicates a negative correlation, and a value of 0 indicates no correlation.
The biserial correlation coefficient is often used when analyzing the relationship between a binary outcome and a continuous predictor variable. For example, in a study examining the relationship between smoking (binary variable: yes or no) and lung cancer risk (continuous variable), a biserial correlation coefficient could be computed to determine the strength of the association. A high positive biserial correlation coefficient would suggest that smoking is strongly associated with an increased risk of lung cancer.
Overall, biserial refers to a statistical measure used to evaluate the relationship between a dichotomous variable and a continuous variable, providing insights into the strength and direction of their correlation.
Arranged in a double series or two courses.
Etymological and pronouncing dictionary of the English language. By Stormonth, James, Phelp, P. H. Published 1874.
The word "biserial" is derived from the combination of two Latin roots: "bi-" meaning "two" and "serialis" meaning "in a row" or "in a series". The term is used to describe something arranged in two rows or series, and it is often used in biology and botany to describe the arrangement of appendages or structures.
