Statistics

STATISTICS is a mathematical science involving the collection, interpretation, analysis and presentation of numerical data.

USES OF STATISTICS
Statistics is often used to make predictions based on data In Education statistics can be used to assess students performance and correlate factors affecting teaching and learning process to improve quality of education. In Psychology statistics is used to determine attitudinal patterns, the causes and effects of misbehavior. in the field of medicine statistics is used to collect information about patients and diseases and to make decisions about the use of new drugs or treatment.

In business
An important application of statistics is business analytics, which is the use of data analysis and modeling to help businesses achieve better performance.

Branches of Statistics
The study of statistics has two major branches: descriptive statistics and inferential statistics.
Statistics

Descriptive statistics Involves the organization, summarization, and display of data.

Inferential statistics
Involves using a sample to draw conclusions about a population.

FIELDS OF STATISTICS
Descriptive statistics is concerned with the methods of collecting, organizing and presenting data appropriately and creatively to describe group characteristics. Inferential statistics concerned with the formulation or drawing of conclusion about a population based on an observation on a sample drawn from a population.

 Population is a complete set of individuals objects or measurement having some common observable characteristics. Sample it is a finite number of objects selected from a population

Stratified Samples
A stratified sample has members from each segment of a population. This ensures that each segment from the population is represented.

Freshmen

Sophomores

Juniors

Seniors

Cluster Samples
A cluster sample has all members from randomly selected segments of a population. This is used when the population falls into naturally occurring subgroups.

All members in each selected group are used.

Systematic Samples
A systematic sample is a sample in which each member of the population is assigned a number. A starting number is randomly selected and sample members are selected at regular intervals.

Every fourth member is chosen.

CONSTANTS AND VARIABLES

Constants refer to the fundamental quantities that do not change in value.
Variables are quantities that may take anyone of a specified set of values.

Classifications of Variables
1. Qualitative variables are non-measurable characteristics that cannot assume a numerical value but can be classified into two or more categories. Example: sex , religion , occupation , color 2. Quantitative variables specifically they indicate how much of a given characteristics and individual, object or event possesses. Examples: age, monthly income, size of family, hourly output of a machine

State whether the following types of data are qualitative or quantitative

a. The

height of each student in mathematics class b. the marital status of each person living on a city c. Monthly income of teachers d. Educational attainment e. weight of a truck f. the speed of the cars g. religious affiliation of each student h. Weekly budget allowance i. The number of women students in a class

Classification:
Discrete / discontinuous variable these are the data obtained by counting. They are represented by counting numbers or whole numbers.
Continuous variables these are the data obtained by measurement.

Types of Data according to their sources

Primary data these are the data/information which are gathered directly from an original source.
Secondary data- these are information which are taken from published or unpublished data.

Methods of Collecting Data

Direct or Interview Method is a person-to-person interaction between an interviewer and an interviewee.
Advantages: Precise and consistent answers can be obtained by modifying or rephrasing the questions especially to illiterate respondents or to children under study. Disadvantages: It is time, money and effort consuming and it will be applicable only for small population, except when conducting census.

Indirect or Questionnaire method written responses are obtained by distributing questionnaires. Questionnaire a list of questions intended to elicit answers to a given problem.

Advantages: Lesser time , money and efforts are consumed. Disadvantages: Many responses may not be consistent due to the poor construction of the questionnaire. Inconsistent responses can no longer be modified, thus, it reduces valid number of respondents. Registration Method is enforced by private organizations or governmeny agencies for recording purposes. Advantages: Organized data from an institution can serve as ready references for future study or for personal claims of peoples records. Disadvantages: Problem arises only when an agency doesnt have a Management Information System and if the system or process of registration is not implemented well.

 Observation Method is a scientific method of investigation that makes possible use of all senses to measure or obtain outcomes/responses from the object of study. Telephone interview this method is employed if the questions to be asked are brief and few. Experimentation is used when the objective is to determine the cause-and-effect of a certain phenomenon under some controlled conditions.

Methods of Data Collection

In an observational study, a researcher observes and measures characteristics of interest of part of a population.
In an experiment, a treatment is applied to part of a population, and responses are observed. A simulation is the use of a mathematical or physical model to reproduce the conditions of a situation or process. A survey is an investigation of one or more characteristics of a population.
A census is a measurement of an entire population. A sampling is a measurement of part of a population.