Statistics theory: Difference between revisions
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In the singular, a statistic refers to a derived numerical value, such as a [[mean]], a [[coefficient of correlation]], or some other single [[Descriptive statistics|descriptive]] concept. It may also refer to an idea of an average, such as a [[median]], or [[standard deviation]], or a value computed from a [[set]] of data. <ref>Guilford, J.P., Fruchter, B. (1978). ''Fundamental statistics in psychology and education''. New York: McGraw-Hill.</ref> | In the singular, a statistic refers to a derived numerical value, such as a [[mean]], a [[coefficient of correlation]], or some other single [[Descriptive statistics|descriptive]] concept. It may also refer to an idea of an average, such as a [[median]], or [[standard deviation]], or a value computed from a [[set]] of data. <ref>Guilford, J.P., Fruchter, B. (1978). ''Fundamental statistics in psychology and education''. New York: McGraw-Hill.</ref> | ||
More precisely, in mathematical statistics, and in general usage, a statistic is defined as any [[measurable function]] of the data sample <ref>Shao, J. (2003). ''Mathematical Statistics'' (2 ed.). ser. Springer Texts in Statistics, New York: Springer-Verlag, p. 100.</ref>. A data sample is regarded as instances of a [[random variable]] of interest such as a height, weight, polling results, test performance, and so on, obtained by [[random sampling]] of a population. | More precisely, in [[mathematical statistics]], and in general usage, a statistic is defined as any [[measurable function]] of the data sample <ref>Shao, J. (2003). ''Mathematical Statistics'' (2 ed.). ser. Springer Texts in Statistics, New York: Springer-Verlag, p. 100.</ref>. A data sample is regarded as instances of a [[random variable]] of interest such as a height, weight, polling results, test performance, and so on, obtained by [[random sampling]] of a population. | ||
==See also== | ==See also== | ||
Revision as of 18:13, 8 December 2007
Statistics refers first to a branch of mathematics that specializes in enumeration data and their relation to measured data. It may also refer to a fact of classification, which is the chief source of all statistics.
In the singular, a statistic refers to a derived numerical value, such as a mean, a coefficient of correlation, or some other single descriptive concept. It may also refer to an idea of an average, such as a median, or standard deviation, or a value computed from a set of data. [1]
More precisely, in mathematical statistics, and in general usage, a statistic is defined as any measurable function of the data sample [2]. A data sample is regarded as instances of a random variable of interest such as a height, weight, polling results, test performance, and so on, obtained by random sampling of a population.
See also
- Coefficient of correlation
- Data
- Descriptive statististics
- Mathematics
- Mean
- Median
- Mode
- Psychometrics
- Set
- Standard deviation