• Identify the observational unit of a statistical study
• Name the population, sample, parameter, and statistic in a statistical study

Statistical Studies

The science of statistics deals with the collection, analysis, interpretation, and presentation of data. We see and use data in our everyday lives.

Organizing and summarizing data is called descriptive statistics.

Two ways to summarize data are by graphing and by using numbers (for example, finding an average).

After you have studied probability and probability distributions, you will use formal methods for drawing conclusions from “good” data. The formal methods are called inferential statistics.

In statistics, we generally want to study a population. You can think of a population as a collection of persons, things, or objects under study. To study the population, we select a sample. The idea of sampling is to select a portion (or subset) of the larger population and study that portion (the sample) to gain information about the population. Data are the result of sampling from a population.

observational units

The individuals, animals, or objects that are being measured or surveyed in a study are the observational units.

Observational units can also be referred to as the subjects, participants, or cases of the statistical study.