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Function of Statistics. When researchers quantify their data at the nominal, ordinal, or interval/ratio level of measurement, statistics is used as a tool of either Description, Decision making, or Correlation. Description.
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Function of Statistics • When researchers quantify their data at the nominal, ordinal, or interval/ratio level of measurement, statistics is used as a tool of either • Description, • Decision making, or • Correlation
Description • Allows for overall tendencies or group characteristics to be easily observed and easily communicated • Graphs are commonly used Final Exam Grades
Decision Making • Almost always, it is necessary to go beyond mere description. • Allows researchers to draw inferences from the sample to the population • Allows for generalizing • Statistics is a set of decision-making techniques that aid researchers in drawing inferences from samples to populations and, hence, in testing hypotheses regarding the nature of social reality.
Correlation • Describes the relationship between two more variables • Correlation does not lead to causation