Types of Statistics * Statistics — is a collection of methods for collecting, displaying, analysing, and drawing conclusions from data. * Descriptive statistics — is the branch of statistics that Involves organizing, displaying, and describing data. * Inferential statistics - is the branch of statistics that involves drawing conclusions about a population based on informatic contained in a sample taken from that population.Level of Measurement Level of measurement is one of the key determinants for selecting the correct statistic for our analysis. Level of measurement determines whether the numeric data value can be treated as representing numeric measure of a characteristic, representing the rank or order within the distribution of data values, or is simply a short-hand substitute for a category.Levels of Measurement: Summer Level of Measurement Characteristic Nominal Ordinal Interval Ratio Ordering in no yes yes yes magnitude Equal intervals no no “yes yes Absolute zero no no no yes pointData and Variable Variable: Any property or characteristic (attribute) of some event, object, or person that may have different values'at different times or under different conditions. Variables are logical sets of attributes. Data: The end result of the process of measurement whereby different attributes of variables are determined by using a specified measurement scale and procedure for recording those measurements...Basic Terms in Statistics * Qualitative data — are measurements for which there is no natural numerical scale, but which consist of attributes, labels, or other nonnumeric characteristics. — For example, gender, disease status, and type of car * Quantitative data — are numerical measurements that arise from a natural numerical scale. — For example, survival time, heighi, age, number of children, and number of faults la...Discrete and Continuous Discrete variable: A variable in which there are no possible values between adjacent units in the scale. For example, gender. Discrete variables change in fixed amounts. These are sometimes referred to as categorical variables because they classify observations into categories. Continuous variable: A variable that can theoretically have an infinite number of values between adjacent units on the scale. Examples include weight, height, time, age.Independent and Dependent * Independent variable: —The variable that is classified or manipulated and —is the presumed cause of some effect. ¢ Dependent variable: —The variable tha is observed as a result of the manipulation or classification and —is the presumed effect of the independent variable.Populations and Samples * Population: — Awell-defined group of individuals, objects, or observations of any size having a unique quality or characteristic (e.g., social workers in Ethiopia, frail elderly living alone in a community, children under 18 year living with HIV). — Sometimes referred to as the "universe" of observations from which individuals will be selected and to whom results will be generalized. ¢ Sample: — Asubset of the study population —The subject examinedRandom Selection and Assignment * Random sample: — A sample that is drawn using procedures that give every element in the population an equal chance of being selected. — Sometime referred to as a “probability” sample. — Very important for generalizing the findings of our research to the study population (external validity). * Random assignment: — Assigning subjects to treatment and control groups so that all subjects have an equal chance of being assigned to all groups. — Critical for ensuring integrity of an experiment (internal validity). aParameter and Statistic Parameter: — Numbers that describe the population of individuals, objects, or observations from which a sample is drawn. — ts anumber that summarizes some aspect of the population as a whole. Statistic: — Numbers that describe the sample, or — a@number computed from the sample data. Remember: * Population Parameter * Sample Statistice °o °o °o e ° ° oO ° e °o °o ° °o ° ° Population ° °o e oO ° °o oO ° Parameters “ e Pp 00000000 Sample o0000008 Statistics & se s PpBasic Terms in Statistics * A measurement is —-a number or attribite computed for each member of a population or of a sample. —a number or attribute computed for each member of a set of objects. ¢ Sample data is — The collective measurements of sample elements —The measurements from a sampleClick to add title | What is statistics?Types of Variable What is a variable, and What is the relationship between variables and attributes? What is the difference between qualitative and quantitative data? Give examples of each. How do discrete variables differ from continuous variables? Provide examples. What is the difference between independent and dependent variables? >>, ~—~—~—~—~—~CS~S~SOS SQ,Levels of Measurement What are the four levels of measurement How do nominal scales categorize objects? Give examples of nominal level variables. What is the key characteristic of ordinal scales? Provide examples. What property do interval scales have th ordinal scales lack? Give examples of interval level variables. Co —x——_— °°» —... Levels of Measurement * What is the key property that distinguishes ratio scales from interval scales? Give examples. Why are they rare in social sciences? * What are the three mathematical attributes of variables and how are they related to the levels of measurement? 1Understanding Basic Statistical Concepts * What is the difference between descriptive statistics and inferential statistics? * How is statistics defined in this context? * Why are levels of measurement important in statistics?Sampling and Populations What is a population in statistical terms? What is a sample and how does it relate to a population? What is a random sample and why is it important? hb What is random assignment and why is it critical in experiments?Parameters and Statistics ¢ What is a parameter? * What is a statistic? ¢ What is the relationship between a population parameter and a sample statistic?Measurements and Data What is a measurement? What is sample data?