MATHEMATICS 11

STATISTICS

Topic:
COLLECTION, ORGANIZATION, AND
PRESENTATION OF STATISTICAL DATA

PREPARED BY :

SIr Emerson T. Santos

Collection, Organization, and Presentation

of Statistical Data
Lesson 1 : Collection of Statistical Data

INTRODUCTION
The first major step in a statistical investigation is the collection of
statistical data. This is considered a very crucial stage in many statistical inquiries
because, unless proper care is exercised in the way data is collected, the results may
lead to false interpretations and consequently bring enormous losses on the part of the
end-users. The nature of the problem, the objectives of the researcher, the type of data
required, and the sources of these data should all be considered in choosing the
techniques of gathering data.

LEARNING STYLE

The collection of data has three aspects, namely:

A. Importance of Collecting Data

Once you have identified and defined the problem, your first task is
collecting the set of data relevant to the purpose of your study. It is very important that
you plan and prepare the methods that you will use in collecting data. The success and
usefulness of the results of the study will depend much on the accuracy and reliability of
the data.

B. Sources of Data

Data may be contained from two principal sources:

Direct or primary sources

Data which arise from original investigations such as observations, interviews,
questionnaires, experiments, and measurements.

Secondary or indirect sources

Data gathered from books, journals, records, sports, and other publications.
 C. Methods of Collecting Data
There are many ways of collecting data. You will only encounter here the
common methods which have been found very functional and practical. You can select
the method or adopt a combination of methods which you believe will yield the desired
data relevant to the nature, purpose of your study, the time factor, the cost, and the
population to be studied.

Interview Method
This is face-to-face contact between the interviewer and the interviewee. The
form of interview may vary according to the preference of either or both parties. It could
either be a personal interview or a telephone interview. One major advantage of the
interview method is that questions can be repeated, rephrased, or modified for better
understanding. Answers may also be clarified if this method is used.

Questionnaire Method or Indirect Method

This is a cheaper method in collecting data and the most widely used. A
questionnaire consists of a sheet or more with a series of questions to be answered or
items to be checked by the respondent. The questionnaire is usually accompanied by a
cover letter explaining the purpose of the study, requesting for the respondent’s
cooperation and assuring him of the confidentially of the responses. The questionnaire
should be prepared very carefully. The directions or instructions should be clear and
concise.

Observation Method

Data pertaining to behaviors of an individual or a group of individuals at the time

of occurrence of a given situation are obtained by direct observation.

The Use of Documents

 Researchers who make use of vital statistics such as birth rates, death rates, and
marriages, find the use of documents and other existing records available in both private
and government offices.

The Method of Experimentation

This is a method of collecting data wherein effort is made to control the factors
affecting the variable in question.
Example:
If one is interested in the performance of a class of students in Statistics alone,
he can do a survey. But if he / she takes into consideration the factors affecting this
performance such as I.Q. or method used in teaching, the investigation becomes an
experiment.

Kinds of Variables

Data are information gathered about the population.

There are two (2) kinds: qualitative and quantitative. Quantitative
data are subdivided into two: discrete and continuous .
Variables are qualitative if they take the form of attribute or categories such as
race, sex, religion, “Yes” or “No” responses. They are quantitative in nature if they
come as measurement such as weights, heights, temperature and other measurable
quantities.
Quantitative variables are either continuous or discrete. Measurable
quantities such as heights and weights are continuous variables while size of a family
and marital status which are enumerated or counted are discrete variables.

Kinds of Data
1. Raw or ungrouped data – data collected in an investigation and not organized
systematically.
2. Grouped data – data arranged in a table with class interval and midpoint.

SIR SANTOS
LESSON 2: METHODS OF PRESENTING DATA
 CONCEPT
Methods of presenting data should not only attract the
reader’s attention, but also give a general idea on the
characteristics of the data being presented.

INTRODUCTION
Statistical data collected should be arranged in a manner that allows a reader
to distinguish their essential features. Depending on the type of information and
the objectives of the person presenting the information, data may be presented using
one or a combination of three forms:textual, tabular, and graphical.

LEARNING STYLE
After data are collected, they can now be presented in the following logical
methods:
A. Textual Form
The textual or paragraph form is used when the data to be presented are
purely qualitative or when very few numbers are involved. This method is not desirable
when too many figures are involved as the reader may fail to grasp the significance of
certain quantitative relationships, but it becomes an effective device when the objective
is to call the reader’s attention to some data that require emphasis.

B. Tabular Form
There is a more effective device of presenting data. People who want to make some
comparisons and draw relationship usually find the tabular arrangement more
convenient and more understandable than the textual presentation.

C. Graphical or Pictorial Form

Among the different methods of presenting data, the graph or chart is the most
effective device for attracting people’s attention. Readers who look for comparisons and
trends may skip statistical tables but will pause to examine graphs.

SIR SANTOS
Construction of a good graph requires more skill, more time, and occasionally more
expensive than a statistical table. Like a table, a graph must have a title, and if
necessary a source note. Graphs are of various types: line graph, pie graph, bar graph,
and statistical map.
1. LINE GRAPH
A line graph is an effective device used to portray changes in values with respect
to time. It is similar to the Cartesian coordinate system which has a horizontal axis and a
vertical axis. The categories, or time periods, are chronologically arranged on the
horizontal axis and the relevant values are indicated on the vertical axis. Variations in
the data are indicated by a series of line segments formed by joining consecutive points
plotted above the categories.

2. BAR GRAPH

This graph consists of bar or rectangle which are drawn either vertically or
horizontally depending on the type of data and the purpose of comparison. Vertical
bars are generally used for chronological comparisons while Horizontal bars are
employed to show categorical comparisons. The individual bars show the different time
periods of categories in the data while the height or length of each bar corresponds to
the value attached to each time period or category.

3. PIE CHART

The pie chart, like the component of the bar chart, is particularly appropriate for

portraying the relative magnitudes of the component parts of a whole. It is constructed

by dividing a circle (a pie) into sectors, each having a size proportional to the

percentage it represents. The central angle of the sector representing a component is

measured using the formula:

SIR SANTOS