Statistical method

Statistical Method

A statistical method is a procedure or technique for collecting, classifying, analyzing, interpreting, and presenting data. Statistical methods are used in a wide range of disciplines, including mathematics, economics, sociology, psychology, biology, and public health. They provide a framework for making inferences about a population from a sample, testing hypotheses, and modeling relationships among variables.

Overview

Statistical methods can be broadly divided into descriptive statistics and inferential statistics. Descriptive statistics summarize and organize characteristics of a data set, while inferential statistics use data from a sample to make inferences about a population.

Descriptive Statistics

Descriptive statistics provide simple summaries about the sample and the measures. These summaries may be either quantitative (i.e., summary statistics) or visual (i.e., simple-to-understand graphs). Examples of descriptive statistical methods include the mean, median, and mode, which are measures of central tendency, and the range, variance, and standard deviation, which are measures of variability.

Inferential Statistics

Inferential statistics are procedures that allow researchers to infer or "reach conclusions" about the characteristics of a population based on the characteristics of a sample. They are used to test hypotheses and make estimations using sample data. Examples of inferential statistical methods include t-test, ANOVA, regression analysis, and chi-square test.

Application

Statistical methods are used in a variety of fields. In medicine, they are used to evaluate the effectiveness of treatments. In economics, they are used to model economic behavior and phenomena. In psychology, they are used to understand and interpret the results of psychological tests.

See Also

• Probability theory
• Statistical hypothesis testing
• Statistical modeling
• Data analysis