Inferential and Descriptive Statistics - 2154 Words

Before we continue the discussion about the basic descriptive data elements that are needed to answer the question I previously posed, it is important to understand what we mean by descriptive statistics. Descriptive statistics describe the features of the data collected. In other words, descriptive statistics describe â€Å"what† the data looks like, but it does not tell you why or how data elements interact or influence one another. Descriptive statistics provide a defender with summaries about the data collected and these summaries may be either quantitative or visual. Quantitative descriptive statistics are the sum of data points that are usually reported as total numbers or averages in a report. For example, defender offices can use descriptive statistics to determine the total of open felony cases per attorney in one year or say that on average they had x number of open cases in the last two years. These are considered to be summaries of caseloads that describe the data collected but it does not tell you if a certain variable (number of cases opened in this example) has an influence (or is correlated) with the final outcome of a case. When we say that a variable is correlated we mean that the knowledge of a certain variable (caseload numbers) can allow you to consistently predict the action of another (final dispositional outcomes). For example, if you mix two hydrogen and one oxygen (H20), you get water. We know that every time you have the interaction of theseShow MoreRelatedDescriptive and Inferential Statistics1122 Words   |  5 PagesRunning head: DESCRIPTIVE AND INFERENTIAL STATISTICS 1 Descriptive and Inferential Statistics DESCRIPTIVE AND INFERENTIAL STATISTICS 2 Descriptive and Inferential Statistics Descriptive and inferential statistics are incredibly similar forms of research testing within psychology. Each seeks to analyze, describe, and possibly predict a population’s behavior. As with psychology itself, statistical analysis within psychology began as a philosophy (Goodwin, 2008). This philosophy quicklyRead MoreDescriptive and Inferential Statistics699 Words   |  3 PagesWhen faced with an analysis of a situation which deals with a population, an analyzer will incorporate both descriptive and inferential statistics to evaluate his or her results and create a credible conclusion. Descriptive statistics provides information focused on an immediate group of data. After defining what needs to be analyzed, the descriptive statistics will help the analyzer abridge the data to a more meaningful and comprehendible form, which will then provide patterns in his or her researchRead MoreDescriptive and Inferential Statistics955 Words   |  4 PagesDescriptive and Inferential Statistics Statistical methods in psychology have two main branches, which are descriptive and inferential. They each play a major part in the data that is collected for research and other studies. This paper will show the functions of statistics, how descriptive and inferential statistics are defined and the relationship between the two. Statistics is a necessary tool in psychology. It provides data for research studies as well as providing background information andRead MoreDescriptive and Inferential Statistics2333 Words   |  9 Pagesï » ¿Descriptive and inferential statistics can describe data with remarkable precision and accuracy. Statistical analysis can also involve much time and effort, and therefore an understanding of the proper structure of descriptive and inferential statistics is crucial before expensive investments of time and resources are wasted because data is not collected using proper methods. Many surveys are reported every day in business, government and the media that are questionable because data was not collectedRead MoreDescriptive and Inferential Statistics Paper1139 Words   |  5 PagesDescriptive and Inferential Statistics Paper PSY 315 Descriptive and Inferential Statistics Whether doing original research or conducting literature reviews, one must conclude what a powerful and versatile tool statistics are in the hands of researchers. From basic statistics such as data description, to using complex statistical methods to foresee future patterns or strengthen scientific claims about current climates, the role of statistics in research cannot be taken lightly and is essentialRead MoreUse of Descriptive Statistics over Inferential Statistics659 Words   |  3 PagesQ1. When would you use descriptive over inferential statistics? Provide a specific scenario and explain your rationale. Descriptive statistics is the term given to the analysis of data that helps describe, show or summarize data in a meaningful way such that, for example, patterns might emerge from the data (Understanding descriptive and inferential statistics, 2012, Laerd). Examples of descriptive statistics include an analysis of central tendency (the position of most members of the group inRead MoreAdvantages And Disadvantages Of Descriptive And Inferential Statistics932 Words   |  4 PagesDescriptive and Inferential Statistics Statistics has been a form of research for many years. There are several professions that depend on statistics to help their research to grow and flourish within society. Professions like psychology and medicine often use some sort of statistics to help them better understand their work. There are two types of statistics that are used often in research. There is descriptive statistics and inferential statistics. Throughout this paper, I hope to explain the distinctRead More1. What Are Descriptive Statistics and How Do They Differ from Inferential Statistics?1000 Words   |  4 Pagesare descriptive statistics and how do they differ from inferential statistics? INTRODUCTION Statistical procedures can be divided into two major categories: descriptive statistics and inferential statistics. Typically, in most research conducted on groups of people, you will use both descriptive and inferential statistics to analyse your results and draw conclusions. So what are descriptive and inferential statistics? And what are their differences?We have seen that descriptive statistics provideRead MoreDescriptive and Inferentail Statistics Essay889 Words   |  4 PagesDescriptive and Inferential Statistics Paper Descriptive and Inferential Statistics Paper Statistics are used for descriptive purposes, and can be helpful in understanding a large amount of information, such as crime rates. Using statistics to record and analyze information, helps to solve problems, back up the solution to the problems, and eliminate some of the guess work. In Psychology there has to be a variable or variables to be organized, measured, and expressed as quantities. InformationRead MoreUnderstanding Business Research Terms and Concepts: Part 2 Essay914 Words   |  4 PagesApril 18, 2016 Dr. Linda F Florence Understanding Business Research Terms and Concepts: Part 2 Descriptive statistics Descriptive statistics suggests a straightforward quantitative outline of a data-set which has been gathered. It helps us comprehend the experimentation or data-set in-detail and tells people concerning the mandatory details that help show the data perceptively. Descriptive statistics, we just convey exactly what the data reveals and tell us. Most of the statistical averages and