topic 1 Flashcards
(27 cards)
What are the learning outcomes of the statistics introduction?
Understanding uses, types, methods, and sources of statistics; types of variables; scales of measurement.
Why study statistics?
Statistical techniques are used to make decisions that affect our lives and careers.
What is the formal definition of statistics?
The science of collecting, organizing, presenting, analyzing, and interpreting numerical data to assist in making more effective decisions.
Who uses statistics?
Various fields including medicine, education, law, and business.
What are the two main types of statistics?
- Descriptive Statistics
- Inferential Statistics
What is descriptive statistics?
Methods of organizing, summarizing, and presenting data in an informative way.
What is inferential statistics?
A decision, estimate, prediction, or generalization about a population based on a sample.
Define ‘population’ in statistics.
A collection of all possible individuals, objects, or measurements of interest.
Define ‘sample’ in statistics.
A portion or part of the population of interest.
What is a parameter in statistics?
A summary measure of the whole population.
What is a statistic in statistics?
A summary measure computed from sample data.
What are primary sources of data?
Firsthand data collected by the investigator, e.g., interviews, surveys, experiments.
What are secondary sources of data?
Data taken from other investigators’ collections, e.g., reports from Bank Negara or Statistics Department.
What are the two main types of variables?
- Quantitative
- Qualitative
What are discrete variables?
Variables that are mostly integers or numbers used for counting.
What are continuous variables?
Variables obtained through measuring processes, e.g., length, age, height.
What is a nominal scale of measurement?
Categorical data with no meaningful numeric value, e.g., gender, religion.
What is an ordinal scale of measurement?
Categorical data that can be ranked, e.g., military rank, consumer satisfaction ratings.
What is an interval scale of measurement?
Ordered data with consistent intervals but no true zero, e.g., temperature in Fahrenheit.
What is a ratio scale of measurement?
Ordered data with a true zero point, where ratios are meaningful, e.g., weight, height.
What is the highest scale of measurement?
Ratio scale.
What is the lowest scale of measurement?
Nominal scale.
What is an experimental study?
A study where the researcher manipulates the independent variable to see its effect on the dependent variable.
What is an observational study?
A study where the researcher observes and draws conclusions based on observations.
