STATISTICS

Week 1

Definition of Terms
This presentation was prepared by

Ms. Basilia Ebora Blay

Copyright Statistics for Neophyte Researchers 2004-05-DLSU Press

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Definitions
STATISTICS is a scientific body of knowledge that deals with collection of data
organization or presentation of data

analysis and interpretation of data

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Definitions
DESCRIPTIVE STATISTICS is a
statistical procedure concerned with describing the characteristics and properties of a group of persons, places or things; it is based on facts; can be easily verified

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Definitions
INFERENTIAL STATISTICS is a statistical procedure that is used to draw inferences for a large group of people, places or things on the basis of the information obtained from a small portion of a large group.

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Look at this headline Who were surveyed by SWS? Is there anyone among us who was a respondent in this research? Why do you think SWS was able to conclude that 76% of Pinoys back US troops?

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Definitions
POPULATION refers to a large collection of objects, places or things

Parameter is any numerical value which

describes a population
Ex. 1) There are 8,756 students enrolled in Nursing N = 8,756 2) The average age of Nursing students is 20.
A 20

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Definitions
SAMPLE is a small portion or part of a population; a representative of the population in a research study

Statistic is any numerical value which

describes a sample
Ex. 1. Of the 8,756 students enrolled in Nursing, 2,893 are Male n = 2,893 2. The average age of male students is 21

X 21
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Definitions
DATA are facts, or set of information information gathered or under study
Qualitative data are attributes which cannot be
subjected to meaningful arithmetic. Ex. gender

Quantitative data are numerical in nature and

therefore meaningful arithmetic can be done. Ex. age

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Definitions
Quantitative data are numerical in nature and
therefore meaningful arithmetic can be done. -Discrete data assume exact values only and can be obtained by counting. Ex. number of students -Continuous data assume infinite values within a specified interval and can be obtained by measurement.
Ex. height

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Definitions
Constant is a characteristic or property of a
population or sample which makes the members similar to each other.
Ex. Gender in a class of all boys is constant

Variable is a characteristic or property of a

population or sample which makes the members different from each other.
Ex. Gender in a coed school is variable

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Definitions
Variable is a characteristic or property of a
population or sample which makes the members different from each other. -nominal: numbers do not mean anything, they just label Ex. SSS number -ordinal: numbers are used to label + rank Ex. Size of T-shirt

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Definitions
Variable is a characteristic or property of a
population or sample which makes the members different from each other.

-interval: numbers are used to label + rank; Do not have a true zero Ex. temperature
-ratio: numbers are used to label + rank + equal unit of interval; Have true zero Ex. number of votes
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Definitions
Variable is a characteristic or property of a
population or sample which makes the members different from each other.
-dependent: a variable which is affected by another variable Ex. test scores -independent: a variable which affects the dependent variable Ex. number of hours spent in studying

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