Big Picture in Focus: ULOa.

Demonstrate understanding about the

nature of statistics including data, sampling techniques and graphical
illustrations.

Metalanguage

It is very essential to discuss some of the elementary statistical concepts that are
necessary for more specialized statistical data analysis. To demonstrate ULOa, you need to
have an understanding on the different topics to be discussed in this competency. Please refer
to the following terms below which are operationally defined for your easy understanding.

a. Statistics. A science which deals on the study of numbers and its meanings.

b. Statistics, Kinds. This refers to the different classifications of Statistics like

descriptive statistics and inferential statistics.

c. Variables. These refers to the attributes or characteristics being measured using

Statistics.

d. Data. These are information subject to be gathered.

e. Sampling Techniques. These are the techniques to be chosen on how many

samples do the study need based on its design and its objectives.

f. Sample. This is an element of the population and considered to be respondent of

the study.

g. Population. This is the interest of the study where the sample came from.

h. Parameter. It is the characteristics of a population.

i. Statistic. It is the characteristics of a sample.

Essential Knowledge
NATURE OF STATISTICS

Analyzing human personality through tests, uncovering one`s ability through an

aptitude test, describing an individual in terms of his or her intellectual and emotional quotients,
and developing a research – driven counseling program and intervention are few of the most
essential functions of a psychometrician and a registered psychologist. These activities of a
psychology expert are anchored with numerical data. How can we say that an individual
experienced anxiety or depression? What program can we give to them to cope with these
problems? These data – driven questions can be answered using Statistics.

Statistics is a science which deals on the collection, organization, presentation,

interpretation and analysis of data. This is a process of utilizing data to make sound
conclusions. Below are the definitions of Statistics from the different authors:
 “Statistics is a branch of Mathematics that deals with the collection,
tabulation or presentation, analysis and interpretation of data. It also deals with
drawing of conclusions about a population from knowledge of the properties of a
smaller group which is deemed representative of the population.” – Marcelino &
Ocampo (2011).

There are two (2) different areas of Statistics: the descriptive statistics and the
inferential statistics.

Descriptive statistics refers to the collection, organization, and presentation of the

data. It tends to describe the data. Examples are:

a. The School Guidance Counselor asks his Psychometrician to conduct a survey on

the personality assessment of students in a College. The assigned personnel
collect information about the sex, age, religious affiliation, weight, height, and
program enrolled. Then, he may organize the data using a graphical illustration.
He found out that the most number of participants are coming from the BS
Psychology program. Here, he is using descriptive statistics.

b. The Philippine Statistics Authority thru the Department of Social Welfare and
Development conducted a census on gathering information of the Filipino in terms
of socio- economic status to uncover how many below to the lower class, middle
class, and upper class. Here, PSA and DSWD are using descriptive statistics.

While, inferential statistics refers to the analysis and interpretation of data. According
to Marcelino and Ocampo (2011), this refers to the processes of making inferences or
conclusion about a large group, called population, based on observations of a smaller group
which is deemed representative of the population called sample. Examples are:

a. Mr. Alejandro, the Guidance Counselor, conducted an online survey to college

students with regard to their satisfaction towards their Online Counseling Services
in the new normal. Here out of 2, 600 college students, he uses only 765 college
students randomly selected from the different programs. Here, he is using
inferential statistics because whatever may be the overall responses of 765 college
students, it will represent the 2,600 college students.

b. In school program, the Department of Arts and Sciences has successfully

conducted the virtual orientation to freshmen students. After the program, the
department gave survey questionnaire form for students to evaluate the recently
conducted online orientation program. Only 89 freshmen out of 267 freshmen
students were chosen to answer the survey. Here, inferential statistics is used.

Statistics is a science which deals with collection, organization, presentation, analysis and interpretation of
data.

Descriptive Statistics Inferential Statistics

POPULATION AND SAMPLE

Have you tried a blood test? How much blood did the medical technician got from you?
Only few, right? Once you undergo blood test, the medical personnel like the medical
technician will only get a specimen. Specimen is now considered a sample to be used in order
to generalize the entire component of your blood (population). This is true as well in Statistics.
Since one of the purpose of Statistics is to provide inferences, then a sample is needed in
order to represent the whole.

Population consists of all subjects (people, objects, events) that are being studies.
Examples are the entire students in a University, the entire Philippines. However, it is not
possible to use the entire population because of some other factors, then sample will be used.
Sample refers to a group of subjects from population of interest. For better understanding,
refer to the following examples below.

a. If you wish to draw conclusions about the weights of the 5 000 children living in the
Care Unit of the Department of Social Welfare and Development in Davao del Sur
(population), you may examine only 200 children (sample) selected from the 5
000 children.

b. Practically in cooking. If you are pleased by your mother to know if sinigang broth
tastes good, then you may taste a spoonful of it from the whole pot. The sample
is the spoonful of sinigang and the population is the whole pot of sinigang.

Moreover, the numerical values of population and sample have attributes. These refers
to parameter and statistic, respectively. Parameter refers to the numerical values of the
characteristic of a population. While, statistic refers to the numerical values of the
characteristic of a sample. For more understanding, see examples below.

a. If you wish to draw conclusions about the weights of the 5 000 children living in the
Care Unit of the Department of Social Welfare and Development in Davao del Sur
(population), you may examine only 200 children (sample) selected from the 5
000 children. You have found out that most of the children are underweight. Here,
the statistic is underweight.

a. After a nationwide survey, the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) reported that
the average of a Filipino family is six persons. Here, the parameter is 6 persons.

NATURE OF VARIABLES

One of the important matters in quantitative research is the identification of the

variables. Amorado and Talili (2017) defined variable as any entity that can take on different
values which are measurable. Moreover, Faltado et al. (2016) added that variable is anything
that may assume varied numerical and categorical values. Example of a variable is sex, age,
type of business firm, and employment status.

Variables are categorized into categorical and continuous variables and independent
and dependent variables.

Categorical Variables

These are also called as discrete or classificatory variables. These are

variables which takes a distinct and exact value and does not merit decimal values.
Example: sex (male or female), blood type (A+, A-, B+, B-, O+, O-, AB+, AB-) and
etc. Two common categories of categorical variables are nominal and ordinal.

Nominal Variables. These are variables that does not follow order or rank and
do not have quantitative values. These, sometimes, implies label or identification.
Example you are conducting business research which seeks to identify the quality of
 life of insurance agents in the Philippines and you need to get their sex as a
demographic profile. So, sex is a nominal variable.

Ordinal Variables. These are variables that can be ranked and has clearing
orders. Example is conducting research about the financial status of the residents in
Digos City and you included in your demographic profile the socio – economic status
(low, medium, high). Socio – economic status implies order.

Continuous Variables

These are variable that take infinite variables and merit decimal values.
Example of these variables are age, temperature and income. Two common
categories are interval and ratio.
Interval Variables. These are variables which can be measured by providing
meanings within intervals and do not indicate no value to zero (0). Example is
temperature. When we say zero (0) degree Celsius does not mean no temperature. It
can still be felt does the value exists.

Ratio Variables. These are interval variables but with indication of the true
condition of zero. This means that variable is none if and only if the value is zero (0).

Independent Variables and Dependent Variables

Independent variables are variables which are responsible for conditions that could
bring change. Others called these as predictors. On the other hand, dependent variables are
the outcome variables or the results or effect of the changes brought by another variable.
Example: Bullying and Depression among college students. Bullying is the independent
variable while depression is the dependent variable because bullying may contribute an effect
or an influence to depression.

NATURE OF DATA

Data are information (attitudes, behavior, motivations, attributes, etc.) collected from
participants or observations (mechanical or direct) or from secondary sources. In data
collection, there are primary and secondary data. Primary data are that information gathered
by the researcher at hand while secondary data are data which are coming from other
secondary sources. Example of primary data are response from Attitude Scale while example
of a secondary data are grades.

Furthermore, there are data called quantitative data and qualitative data. Quantitative
data are data gathered in a form of numerical figures which are subject for quantitative
analysis using statistics. This is true for quantitative research. Types of these data are discrete
and continuous data. Meanwhile, qualitative data are data in a form of text and can only be
coded using numbers to be used as representation. Types of these data are nominal and
categorical data. See figure below.

Discrete Data. These are quantitative data which takes an exact whole number and
does not matter with the presence of decimal values. Example is number of employees in a
financial firm. A business manager cannot say that he has 10 ½ employees because there is
no such thing as ½ workers. Rather he has 10 employees.

Continuous Data. These are quantitative data which takes the exact whole number
and the presence of a decimal value. Example is age (10 years and 9 months old) or weight
(75.78 kgs.)
 Nominal Data. These are qualitative data which entails labelling or identifying. These
data are unique from each other. Examples are School ID Number and SSS Number.

Categorical Data. These are qualitative data which entails categorization. Examples
are sex (male or female) and employment status (regular, probationary, contractual).

DATA

QUANTITATIVE QUALITATIVE DATA

DATA

DISCRETE CONTINUOUS NOMINAL CATEGORICAL

Nature of Data