Name: Eden Quieta
BSEd-Filipino 3
BASIC TERMS IN STATISTICS
Statistics is a process of utilizing data to make sound conclusions.
The two broad areas of statistics are descriptive and inferential
statistics.
Population consists of all the members of the group about which
we want to draw a conclusion.
Sample is a portion, or part of the population of interest selected
for analysis.
Example: If you wish to draw conclusions about the BMI of 10 000 students in
your school (the population), you may examine only 500 students (a sample)
selected from the 10 000 students.
Descriptive statistics consists only the collection, organization,
summarization and presentation of data.
Inferential statistics consists of generalizing from samples to
populations, performing estimations and hypothesis tests,
determining relationship among variables, and making predictions.
Example: If Mr. de la Cruz has to provide monthly satisfaction rating report to
each office in the university he is working with, he may collect information from
the filled out customer satisfaction feedback forms. Then, he may organize,
analyze, present and interpret his obtained data for whatever purpose it may
serve. Here, he is using descriptive statistics.
Example: If you want to know the difference of academic performance between
students’ in online and remote teaching, in this case, inferential statistics will be
used.
Parameter is a numerical index describing a characteristic of a
population.
Statistic is a numerical index describing a characteristics of a
sample.
Example: Suppose you draw conclusions about the weights of 5 000 students in
your university by examining only 200 students selected from the population.
After collecting data, you observe that most of the 200 students are 17 years old.
The statistic here is 17 years old.
Example: After a nationwide survey, the National Statistics Office (NSO)
reported that the average size of a Filipino family is six persons. Here, the
parameter is 6 persons.
Constant is a characteristic of objects, people, or events that does
not vary. For example, the temperature at which water boils is a
constant.
Variable is a characteristic of objects, people, or events that can
take of different values. It can vary in quantity , or in quality.
Variables can be classified in different ways.
Types of Variable:
Qualitative Variable is variable that is conceptualized and
analyzed as distinct categories, with no continuum implied. Also,
categorical variable; observations that are put in the same or
different classes, each class being considered as possessing some
common characteristic that is not shared by those in classes.
Examples: eye color, gender, occupation, religious preference,
etc.
Quantitative Variable is a variable that is conceptualized and
analyzed along a continuum implied. It differs in amount of degree.
Also termed as numerical variable; variable that yield frequencies
when counted, giving rise to discrete variable of when measured
yield metric or continuous variable.
Examples: height, weight, age, salary, etc.
Classification of Variable: (Experimental Classification)
Independent variable is a variable controlled by the
experiment/researcher, and expected to have any effect on the
behavior of the subjects.
Dependent variable is a measure of the behavior of subjects and
expected to be influenced by the independent variable.
Example: To predict the value of fertilizer on the growth of plants, the
dependent variable is the growth of plants while the independent variable is
the amount of fertilizer used.
Example: Suppose males and females are compared regarding their
performance in mathematics. Here, gender is the independent variable and the
performance in mathematics is the dependent variable.
Classification of Variable: (Mathematical Classification)
Variables may also be classified in terms of the mathematical
values they may take on within a given interval.
Continuous variable is a variable which can assume any of an
infinite number of values, and can be associated with points on a
continuous interval.
Example: height, weight, volume, etc.
Discrete variable is a variable which consist of either a finite
number of values or countable number of values.
Example: gender, course, Olympic games, etc
Levels of Measurement:
Nominal Level of Measurement classifies data into mutually
exclusive (non over-lapping) categories in which no order or
ranking can be imposed on the data.
Examples: zip code, gender, eye color, political affiliation, major
field, nationality
Ordinal Level of Measurement classifies data into categories
that can be ranked; however, precise differences between the ranks
do not exist.
Examples: Grades (A,B,C,D), judging (first place, second
place, ..), rating scale (poor, good, excellent)
Interval Level of Measurement ranks data, and precise
differences between units of measure do exist; however, there is no
meaningful zero.
Examples: SAT score, IQ, Temperature
Ratio Level of Measurement possesses all the characteristics of
interval measurement, and there exists a true zero. In addition,
true ratios exist when the same variable is measured on two
different members of the population.
Examples: Height, weight, time, salary, age
References:
Lim, E. (2014). Basic statistics (the fundamental concepts). Journal of Thoracic
Disease, 6(12), 1875.
Pham, H. (2023). Basic statistics. In Springer Handbook of Engineering
Statistics (pp. 3-41). London: Springer London.
Agarwal, B. L. (2006). Basic statistics. New Age International.