Statistics is the systematic way of collecting, organizing, summarizing, and analyzing information to draw conclusions, answer questions, or predict logical possible outcomes. In addition, statistics is about providing a measure of confidence in any conclusions.
Statistics can be considered as numerical statements of facts which are highly convenient and meaningful forms of communication. The subjects of statistics, as it seems, is not a new discipline but it is as old as the human society itself.
The word statistics is derived from the Latin word /statis/ which means a political state or government. It was originally applied in connection with kings and monarchs collecting data on their citizenry which pertained to state wealth, taxes collected population and so on.
The scope of statistics in the ancient times was primarily limited to the collection of demographic, property and wealth data of a country by governments for framing military and fiscal policies.
Statistics' usefulness has now spread to diverse fields such as agriculture, accounting, marketing, economics, management, medicine, political science, psychology, sociology, engineering, journal, metrology, tourism, etc. And hence, statistics is included in the curriculum of many professional and academic study programs.
The step of looking at a sample is vital to the statistical process because if the data are not collected correctly, the conclusions drawn are meaningless
PROCESS OF STATISTICS: Organize and summarize the information
Descriptive statistics allow the researcher to obtain an overview of the data and can help determine the type of statistical methods the researcher should use
PROCESS OF STATISTICS: Draw conclusion from the information
In this step, the information collected from the sample is generalized to the population. Inferential statistics use methods that take results obtained from a sample, extend them to the population, and measure the reliability of the result
In an era where data, information, and news can easily be shared, our generation is now more open and eager to do research in all fields of studies and jobs
While valuable, statistics is just one tool among various methods for studying problems. Relying solely on statistical analysis may overlook qualitative insights, historical context, or other important factors
Statistics is only one of the methods of studying a problem. Relying solely on statistical analysis may overlook qualitative insights, historical context, or other important factors necessary for a comprehensive understanding of a given issue
Organizing and summarizing data. Descriptive statistics describe data through numerical summaries, tables, and graphs. It is concerned with summary calculations, graphs, charts, and tables to describe the data
Deals with describing data without attempting to infer anything that goes beyond the given set of data. It consists of collection, organization, summarization, and presentation of data in a convenient and informative way
Uses methods that take a result from a sample, extend it to the population, and measure the reliability of the result. It includes the methods used to find out something about a population based on a sample. Inferential statistics utilizes sample data to make decisions for the entire data set
Descriptive statistics is linked with probability theory so that an investigator can generalize the results of a study. Inferential statistics is important because statistical data usually arises from a sample