regression tree
a diagram displaying a set of conditions and their associations with a particular outcome variable as determined via a regression analysis. An initial node contains the outcome of interest (e.g., annual income under $15,000), from which branches extend to additional nodes according to the values of a studied predictor variable (e.g., level of education). Further branches extend from these subnodes based on additional predictors (e.g., area of residence, type of employment), with the process continuing until no more predictors are available in the dataset or until a predetermined number of nodes is obtained. Regression trees provide a convenient, visually appealing method for examining large amounts of data. See also CART analysis.