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Lecture1 Intro To Stat

This document provides an overview of statistics and its key concepts. It discusses the two main branches of statistics - descriptive statistics which summarizes and organizes data, and inferential statistics which uses samples to make inferences about populations. It also defines key statistical terms like variables, data, populations, samples, and different variable types (categorical, quantitative) and scales of measurement (nominal, ordinal, interval, ratio).

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Javier, Kristine Marie
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© © All Rights Reserved
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19 views

Lecture1 Intro To Stat

This document provides an overview of statistics and its key concepts. It discusses the two main branches of statistics - descriptive statistics which summarizes and organizes data, and inferential statistics which uses samples to make inferences about populations. It also defines key statistical terms like variables, data, populations, samples, and different variable types (categorical, quantitative) and scales of measurement (nominal, ordinal, interval, ratio).

Uploaded by

Javier, Kristine Marie
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
Available Formats
Download as PPT, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Principles of Statistics in Public

Administration
Ronald S. Decano, PhD
Lecturer
Cor Jesu College
What is a Statistics?
• Branch of science that deals with the
systematic collection, organization,
presentation, analysis and interpretation of
data
• Statistics “bring order to chaos”—condense
large amounts of information into smaller
understandable units
Branches of Statistics
1. Descriptive Statistics

• Tools for summarizing, organizing &


simplifying data
• Tables & Graphs
• Measures of Central Tendency
• Measures of Variability
Branches of Statistics
Examples:
• Average rainfall in Davao City last year
• Number of car thefts in Quezon city last
semester
• Percentage of Elementary School Teachers in
this class
Branches of Statistics
2.Inferential Statistics
• Data from sample used to draw
inferences about a population
• Tools for generalizing beyond actual
observations
• Generalize from a sample to a population
Population
• The entire collection of events of interest
• E.g., collection of people you want to
understand
• Doesn’t necessarily mean “big” but often is
Sample
• Subset of events selected from a population
• Intended to represent the population
SYMBOLS AND TERMINOLOGY

• Parameter = Values describing POPULATIONS

Greek letters   2  

• Statistics = Values describing SAMPLES

English letters  s2 s r

• Sample will not be identical to the population

• So, generalizations will have some error

• Sampling Error = discrepancy between sample statistic and corresponding


population parameter

•
•
What are Data?
• Collection of information, comprised of 2 parts
(1) Individuals (also called cases or observations)
(2) Variables

• Individuals are ANY OBJECTS described by data


Do NOT have to be people

• Variables are characteristics recorded on/from


the individuals
• A variable is something that varies—has at
least 2 values

• Something that changes over time OR

• Something that varies across individuals


Pick out the individuals and variables in these
examples:

• 100 business executives were asked their age

• 8 farmers obtained the weight of 25 pigs

• 4 technicians measured the sound quality of


10 stereos
Types of Variables
1. Categorical (qualitative): records which group or
category an individual/observation belongs in; it
classifies; doesn’t make sense to perform
arithmetic on this type of variable
E.g., gender (Female or Male)

2. Quantitative: a true numerical value; it indicates


an amount; often obtained from a measuring
instrument; it makes sense to perform arithmetic
on these types of variables
E.g., Weight in pounds
Classifications of Variables
1. DISCRETE:
(A) INDIVISIBLE UNITS
(B) RESTRICTED TO WHOLE NUMBERS
(C) CAN BE COUNTED
2. CONTINUOUS:
(A) UNLIMITED NUMBER OF POSSIBLE VALUES
(B) INFINITE NUMBER OF VALUES CAN FALL B/N
ANY 2 OBSERVED VALUES
(C) NO GAPS BETWEEN UNITS
Scales of Measurements
• Nominal:
(a) Consists of a set of categories or labels
(b) The ‘score’ does NOT indicate an amount
(c) The ‘score’ is arbitrary
(d) Example: Color of cars: 1=red, 2=blue,
3=green
Scales of Measurements
• Ordinal:

(a) Score indicates rank order along some continuum


(b) It is a relative score, not an absolute score
Might have the highest score on the exam, but
we still don’t know how well you did
(c) There is NOT an equal distance between scores
Finish 1st,2nd, or 3rd in a race; could be a
difference of 2 seconds b/n 1st & 2nd but a difference
of 10 minutes b/n 2nd & 3rd
Scales of Measurements
3. Interval:

(a) Score indicates an actual amount


(b) There is an equal distance between each unit
(c) Can include the number 0, but it is not a ‘true’ 0
(d) Zero on this scale does not mean an absence of
the variable; thus cannot speak to ratios
(e) Example: temperature, in degrees Fahrenheit
80 is not twice as hot at 40
Scales of Measurements
4. Ratio:
(a) Score indicates an actual amount
(b) There is an equal distance between each
unit
(c) It includes a ‘true’ zero point; thus ratios
are valid
(d) Example: # of friends you have

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