What is statistics?

Statistics is a field of study concerned with:

(a) the collection, organization, and analysis of
data, and
(b) the drawing of inferences about a population
from a sample taken from the population.
Role of statistics in research
• Statistics allows researchers to draw
reasonable and tangible inference based on
the presented data and information.

Research is the systematic investigation into

and study of materials and sources in order to
establish facts and reach new conclusions.
 Kinds of Statistics
• Inferential statistics is the generalization from
samples to population, performing
estimations, hypothesis testing; it draws
conclusion from data obtained.
• Descriptive statistics is the collection,
organization, summary and presentation of
data; also it describes the characteristics of
sample.
Ex.
A large sample of men, aged 48, was studied for 18 years. For
unmarried men, approximately 70% were alive at age 65. For
married men, 90% were alive at age 65. (Source: The Journal of
Family Issues)

• Descriptive statistics involves statements such as “For

unmarried men, approximately 70% were alive at age 65” and
“For married men, 90% were alive at 65.” A possible inference
drawn from the study is that being married is associated with a
longer life for men.
 There are two types of data sets you will use
when studying statistics. These data sets are
called populations and samples.

• A population is complete collection of

measurement, outcomes, objects, individual
under study.
• A sample is a subset, or part, of a population.
• In a recent survey, 1500 adults in the Philippines were asked
if they thought there was solid evidence of global warming.
Eight hundred fifty-five of the adults said yes. Identify the
population and the sample. Describe the sample data set.

ans.
The population consists of the responses of all adults in the
Philippines, and the sample consists of the responses of the
1500 adults in the Philippines in the survey. The sample is a
subset of the responses of all adults in the Philippines. The
sample data set consists of 855 yes’s and 645 no’s.
• A parameter is a numerical description of a population characteristic.
• A statistic is a numerical description of a sample characteristic.

Ex
1) The 2182 students who accepted admission offers to Northwestern
University in 2009 have an average SAT score of 1442. (Source:
Northwestern University)

2) In a random check of samples of retail stores in Metro Manila, it was found

that 34% of the stores were not storing fish at the proper temperature.

Ans.
1) Because the SAT score of 1442 is based on all the students who accepted
admission offers in 2009, it is a population parameter.
2) Because the percent of 34% is based on a subset of the population, it is a
sample statistic.
Population Parameter
Complete collection of Any number that describes a
measurement, outcomes, objects, population characteristics
individual under study

Tangible/Finite Conceptual/Infinite
If a population of values consists of consists of an endless succession of
a fixed number of these values, the values. In practice, the term infinite
population is said to be population is used to refer to a
finite/tangible population that cannot be
enumerated in a reasonable period
of time.

Sample Statistics
Subset of population containing the Number that describe sample
objects, outcomes that are actually characteristics
observed
 Types of variables/data
Data- the raw materials of statistics
(ex. Numbers, values)
Any type of observation which can take different values for
different people, or different values at different times, or
places, is called a variable.

examples of variables/data:
(a) family size, number of hospital beds, year of birth, number
of schools in a country, number of voters, etc.
(b) height, mass, blood pressure, temperature, blood glucose
level, speed, acceleration, etc.
Qualitative data cannot take numerical values, it
can neither be measured nor be counted, consist
of attributes, labels, or nonnumerical entries.
examples: place of birth, nationality, colour, colour
of hair, gender, blood group, smoking habit,
surname, rank in military

Quantitative data is one that can take numerical

values.
Qualitative data
Nominal data
• Data that refers only for name classification (can’t be rank)
Ex. Gender, citizenship, religion, etc.

Ordinal data
• Can be placed into distinct categories according to some
characteristics or attributes (can be rank).
Ex. Feelings (dislike-like)
Color (dark-bright)
Military (lowest rank to highest)
Quantitative Variables
Discrete data
• The variables which can be counted (result of counting)
Ex. family size, number of hospital beds, year of birth, number of
schools in a country, number of voters etc.

Continuous data
• The variables which can be measured (result of measurement)
Ex. height, mass, blood pressure, temperature, blood glucose level,
etc.
Level of Measurements

• Nominal- data are qualitative only. Data at this level are

categorized using names, labels, or qualities. No mathematical
computations can be made at this level.
ex. Gender (male/female), collection of phone numbers
• Ordinal- data are qualitative or quantitative. Data at this level
can be arranged in order, or ranked, but differences between
data entries are not meaningful. Similar to nominal but with a
clear ordering of the variable.
• Ex. Can be scale 1-10, standing of NBA teams
• Interval- data can be ordered, and meaningful
differences between data entries can be calculated. At
the interval level, a zero entry simply represents a
position on a scale; the entry is not an inherent zero (no
true zero). Similar to ordinal level except that the
distance between the values are equal.
ex. Temperature (Celcius/Fahrenheit) , heart beat
• Ratio- data are similar to data at the interval level, with
the added property that a zero entry is an inherent zero
(true zero).
Ex. Votes, weight, temperature (Kelvin)
For each of the following data, state whether it is quantitative
(discrete/continous) or qualitative (nominal/ordinal) and specify
the level of measurement (nominal, ordinal, interval or ratio):

(a) gender of babies born in a hospital,

(b) marital status,
(c) temperature measured on the Kelvin scale,
(d) nationality,
(e) weight of babies in kg,
(f) temperature in °C,
(g) prices of items in a shop,
(h) position in an exam
(i) the rank of Military personnel
(j) Basketball player’s jersey numbers
 Some of Harvard's newest members are already guilty of academic dishonesty, according
to a recent survey.
Ten percent of Harvard’s incoming freshman class recently admitted to cheating on
exams prior to heading to the Ivy League institution, and another 42 percent admitted to cheating
on a homework assignment or problem set, the university’s school newspaper, The Crimson,
reported Thursday.
“We emailed the freshman class a completely anonymous survey,” Crimson President and
undergraduate Robert S. Samuels told NBC News. “We took great lengths (to assure anonymity).”
The Crimson discovered that recruited athletes were more likely to admit to cheating: 20
percent of freshman athletes admitted to cheating on an exam, compared to nine percent of
students who were not recruited to play a varsity sport; and 26 percent of recruited athletes said
they had cheated on a paper or take-home assignment, compared to 16 percent of non-recruits, the
paper reported.
Samuels said more than 1,600 freshman from the class of 2017 were emailed the 10-
minute, 60-question survey last month. An estimated 80 percent responded to the survey, he said.
“We were lucky to have a very high response rate,” Samuels added.
The school newspaper discovered that the incoming class reported higher rates of
cheating than Harvard’s class of 2013, as determined by a Crimson senior survey conducted last
spring.
The survey also discovered that men were more likely than women to report having
cheated, according to The Crimson’s website.
This recent data collection is the first part of a series The Crimson is releasing, Samuels
said. Parts one and two were released earlier this week and delve into the demographics of Harvard’s
incoming freshmen with regard to sexual preference, post-graduate expectations and family income.