Statistics

• Hypothesis


  test done to find something out, can be based on a prediction to prove if a statement is correct
• Raw Data


  Data that hasn’t been grouped or collected into a table yet
• Data is a collective name for information
• Quantative


  Numerical data
• Qualitative


  Non-numerical data
• Discrete Data


  Particular values, can be counted
• Continuous Data


  Measurable
• Statistics are a way to answer questions using information. This information has to be observed or collected, ordered, represented and then analysed
• Qualitative data

  Data represented with words, not numerical
• Quantitative Data


  Written in numbers
• Discrete data


  Numerical dat, no decimals, can be counted, particular values
• Continuous Data


  Numerical Data with decimals, measurable, continuous scale
• Categorical Data 


  Always qualitative

  example:

  Where people went on holiday: Europe, Asia, Africa… etc.
• Time is continuous
• Primary Data


  Data collected from original source, data gathered by yourself, survey
• Secondary Data


  An outside source of data collected by someone else, could be from newspapers, books, internet
• Bivariate data


  2 related data compared

  example: exam results, time spent studying
• Multivariate data


  3 or more related data

  example: Age, weight, height
• Ordinal data


  Numerical rating scale, written in order, counted not measured
• Questionnaires


  • designed to collect primary data

  • respondents complete the questionnaire

  • interviews are usually carried out in person or by telephone

  • needs open, unopinioned question.
• Data collection sheet

  • can be used to organise data

  • 3 columns, different possible data values

  • second column for a tally

  • third is for total frequency
• Open questions


  • no suggested answers and gives people a choice to reply however they want

  advantage: range of answers

  disadvantage: hard to analyse from response
• Closed questions 


  • set of answers to chose from

  advantage: easier to analyse

  disadvantage: will not cover all possible responses
• Questionnaires should be:

  • unbiased

  • balanced choice of possible answers

  • questions shouldn’t upset or embarrass

  • should be clear, short and understandable

  • relevant to topic

  • dont ask many questions that give many broad answers
• Pilot survey 


  • small scale replica of survey

  • could be testing a method of collecting data

  • used to make sure that the questionnaire and data is suitable for a large audience
• A pilot survey is conducted on a small sample of people to test the design and methods of that survey
• Random Response Method advantages

  • increased truthfulness
  • Increases reliability/ accuracy
  • privacy protection
  • statistical analysis