SEHH107 1

COMP U TATIONAL
TOOLS FOR
STATISTICS
B A S I C K N O W L E D G E A B O U T D ATA ,
V A R I A B L E S A N D S TAT I S T I C S
OUTLINE

• Important terms

• Population vs Sample

• Variables from various perspectives

IMPORTANT TERMS
• Individuals
– Interest of the study
– People or objects
– Who and where the data come from

• Variables
– Characteristic of the individuals
– What you want to know

• Records
– Data (usually in rows)
– Collection of characteristics about the individuals compose
POPULATION VS SAMPLE

Population Sample
ALL (ENTIRE) individuals in the study Part of the individuals of the study
Parameter: Statistics:
Results or measurements obtained from population Results or measurements obtained from sample data
data
Descriptive Statistics

-describe, display (graph) or summarize data in a meaningful manner regardless of the use of population or
sample data
Inferential Statistics

-obtain data from sample to make inferences about the population, i.e. drawing conclusion about the
population base on the data from the sample
DESCRIPTIVE STATISTICS VS
INFERENTIAL STATISTICS

Population Sample
VARIABLES
Nominal
Categorical
Ordinal

Variables Interval

Ratio
Numerical

Discrete Continuous
VARIABLES

• Nominal
– Used for dividing the data into groups
– Can be done by using name, label, groups, categories
– Major analysing tools: Counting
– Example: Gender/Blood Type/Name

• Ordinal
– Used for ordering the data
– Major analysing tools: Counting/Ranking
– Example: Letter Grade
VARIABLES

• Interval
– Can obtain meaningful differences among data
– Major analysing tools: Addition/Subtraction
– Example: Temperature/Clock Time

• Ratio
– Can obtain meaningful ratio
– Major analysing tools: Multiplication/Division
– Example: Weight/Height/Money
VARIABLES

Nominal Ordinal Interval Ratio

Categorizing ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓

Ordering ✓ ✓ ✓

Meaningful ✓ ✓
difference
True Zero ✓