{"id":474,"date":"2023-02-27T17:09:52","date_gmt":"2023-02-27T17:09:52","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/content.one.lumenlearning.com\/introstatstest\/?post_type=chapter&#038;p=474"},"modified":"2025-08-26T17:18:51","modified_gmt":"2025-08-26T17:18:51","slug":"statistical-questions-learn-it-1","status":"publish","type":"chapter","link":"https:\/\/content.one.lumenlearning.com\/introstatstest\/chapter\/statistical-questions-learn-it-1\/","title":{"raw":"Statistical Questions: Learn It 1","rendered":"Statistical Questions: Learn It 1"},"content":{"raw":"<section class=\"textbox learningGoals\">\r\n<ul>\r\n\t<li><span data-sheets-value=\"{&quot;1&quot;:2,&quot;2&quot;:&quot;Create questions that can be answered with statistics&quot;}\" data-sheets-userformat=\"{&quot;2&quot;:4865,&quot;3&quot;:{&quot;1&quot;:0},&quot;11&quot;:0,&quot;12&quot;:0,&quot;15&quot;:&quot;Calibri&quot;}\">Create questions that can be answered with statistics<\/span><\/li>\r\n\t<li>Name and classify variables by type<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<\/section>\r\n<h2>Statistical Questions<\/h2>\r\n<section class=\"textbox recall\">\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_2349\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"599\"]<img class=\"wp-image-2349\" src=\"https:\/\/content-cdn.one.lumenlearning.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2022\/10\/22175704\/1.1.L.Diagram1-1.png\" alt=\"This flow chart shows the four steps of a statistical investigation\" width=\"599\" height=\"317\" \/> Figure 1. The four-step process of a statistical investigation: asking a question, collecting data, analyzing it, and drawing conclusions to communicate findings.[\/caption]\r\n<\/section>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><span style=\"font-size: 1rem; text-align: initial;\">The first step in any statistical investigation is<\/span><span style=\"font-size: 1rem; text-align: initial;\"> to identify <strong>statistical investigative questions<\/strong> and anticipate the responses to survey questions. For example, \u201cIs there a relationship between students\u2019 phone use in class and their grades?\u201d To answer this question, you would need to survey a group of students and ask them about their phone use and their grades. You would then analyze the data using appropriate graphical displays and summary statistics and interpret the results.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p>At its heart, statistics is an investigative process that can allow us to answer questions about our world. We need to consider what makes a good statistical question and how we can match appropriate data with those statistical questions.<\/p>\r\n<section class=\"textbox keyTakeaway\">\r\n<div>\r\n<h3>statistical investigative question<\/h3>\r\n<p>A <strong>statistical investigative question<\/strong> is a question that can be used as the starting point for an investigation that involves data collection and data analysis. <br \/>\r\n<br \/>\r\nStatistical investigative questions always anticipate variability.<\/p>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/section>\r\n<p>[reveal-answer q=\"998234\"]See the Example Question solved in the videos below[\/reveal-answer]<br \/>\r\n[hidden-answer a=\"998234\"][ohm2_question hide_question_numbers=1]1171[\/ohm2_question][\/hidden-answer]<\/p>\r\n<section class=\"textbox example\">[videopicker divId=\"tnh-video-picker\" title=\"Data and Statistical Questions\" label=\"Select Instructor\"]<br \/>\r\n[videooption displayName=\"Dr. Pamela E. Harris\" value=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=eQKbfS41dV0\"][videooption displayName=\"Dr. Aris Winger\" value=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=U_ieZ7g7quE\"] [videooption displayName=\"Dr. Lane Fisher\" value=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=lQtj3a9lhc4\"]<br \/>\r\n[\/videopicker]<\/section>\r\n<p>Anticipating <strong>variability<\/strong> is key in a good statistical question; in other words, a good statistical question anticipates that there will be variability in the data collected to answer the question. That means that the variables (or characteristics) we measure about our observational units are expected to have different values among the different observational units. Understanding which kinds of questions anticipate variability can help us understand what kind of variables can be used to explore a statistical question.<\/p>\r\n<section class=\"textbox keyTakeaway\">\r\n<h3>variation vs. definitive answer<\/h3>\r\n<p>You cannot conduct a statistical study on a question that has no variability. If you can simply answer the question, ask for a single response, or look up the answer, it has no variability anticipated, and therefore, there's no statistical question to create a study around.<\/p>\r\n<\/section>\r\n<p>Let's consider what types of investigative questions can be answered through statistics. If a question has a definitive answer, statistics are not needed. If a question only needs a sample of one to be solved, statistics are not needed.<\/p>\r\n<ul>\r\n\t<li>Can Bill tie his own shoes? To find out, we just need to ask or observe Bill.<\/li>\r\n\t<li>Does five plus five equal ten? There is no population to pull a sample from.<\/li>\r\n\t<li>What is the average size TV in a New York City apartment? Now that is a great statistical question!<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<section class=\"textbox tryIt\">[ohm2_question hide_question_numbers=1]660[\/ohm2_question]<\/section>\r\n<section class=\"textbox tryIt\">[ohm2_question hide_question_numbers=1]657[\/ohm2_question]<\/section>","rendered":"<section class=\"textbox learningGoals\">\n<ul>\n<li><span data-sheets-value=\"{&quot;1&quot;:2,&quot;2&quot;:&quot;Create questions that can be answered with statistics&quot;}\" data-sheets-userformat=\"{&quot;2&quot;:4865,&quot;3&quot;:{&quot;1&quot;:0},&quot;11&quot;:0,&quot;12&quot;:0,&quot;15&quot;:&quot;Calibri&quot;}\">Create questions that can be answered with statistics<\/span><\/li>\n<li>Name and classify variables by type<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/section>\n<h2>Statistical Questions<\/h2>\n<section class=\"textbox recall\">\n<figure id=\"attachment_2349\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-2349\" style=\"width: 599px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-2349\" src=\"https:\/\/content-cdn.one.lumenlearning.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2022\/10\/22175704\/1.1.L.Diagram1-1.png\" alt=\"This flow chart shows the four steps of a statistical investigation\" width=\"599\" height=\"317\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-2349\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Figure 1. The four-step process of a statistical investigation: asking a question, collecting data, analyzing it, and drawing conclusions to communicate findings.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/section>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><span style=\"font-size: 1rem; text-align: initial;\">The first step in any statistical investigation is<\/span><span style=\"font-size: 1rem; text-align: initial;\"> to identify <strong>statistical investigative questions<\/strong> and anticipate the responses to survey questions. For example, \u201cIs there a relationship between students\u2019 phone use in class and their grades?\u201d To answer this question, you would need to survey a group of students and ask them about their phone use and their grades. You would then analyze the data using appropriate graphical displays and summary statistics and interpret the results.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>At its heart, statistics is an investigative process that can allow us to answer questions about our world. We need to consider what makes a good statistical question and how we can match appropriate data with those statistical questions.<\/p>\n<section class=\"textbox keyTakeaway\">\n<div>\n<h3>statistical investigative question<\/h3>\n<p>A <strong>statistical investigative question<\/strong> is a question that can be used as the starting point for an investigation that involves data collection and data analysis. <\/p>\n<p>Statistical investigative questions always anticipate variability.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/section>\n<p><div class=\"qa-wrapper\" style=\"display: block\"><button class=\"show-answer show-answer-button collapsed\" data-target=\"q998234\">See the Example Question solved in the videos below<\/button><\/p>\n<div id=\"q998234\" class=\"hidden-answer\" style=\"display: none\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" id=\"ohm1171\" class=\"resizable\" src=\"https:\/\/ohm.one.lumenlearning.com\/multiembedq.php?id=1171&theme=lumen&iframe_resize_id=ohm1171&source=tnh\" width=\"100%\" height=\"150\"><\/iframe><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<section class=\"textbox example\">\n<div id=\"tnh-video-picker\" class=\"videoPicker\">\n<h3>Data and Statistical Questions<\/h3>\n<form><label>Select Instructor:<\/label><select name=\"video\"><option value=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/eQKbfS41dV0\">Dr. Pamela E. Harris<\/option><option value=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/U_ieZ7g7quE\">Dr. Aris Winger<\/option><option value=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/lQtj3a9lhc4\">Dr. Lane Fisher<\/option><\/select><\/form>\n<div class=\"videoContainer\"><iframe src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/eQKbfS41dV0\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/div>\n<\/section>\n<p>Anticipating <strong>variability<\/strong> is key in a good statistical question; in other words, a good statistical question anticipates that there will be variability in the data collected to answer the question. That means that the variables (or characteristics) we measure about our observational units are expected to have different values among the different observational units. Understanding which kinds of questions anticipate variability can help us understand what kind of variables can be used to explore a statistical question.<\/p>\n<section class=\"textbox keyTakeaway\">\n<h3>variation vs. definitive answer<\/h3>\n<p>You cannot conduct a statistical study on a question that has no variability. If you can simply answer the question, ask for a single response, or look up the answer, it has no variability anticipated, and therefore, there&#8217;s no statistical question to create a study around.<\/p>\n<\/section>\n<p>Let&#8217;s consider what types of investigative questions can be answered through statistics. If a question has a definitive answer, statistics are not needed. If a question only needs a sample of one to be solved, statistics are not needed.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Can Bill tie his own shoes? To find out, we just need to ask or observe Bill.<\/li>\n<li>Does five plus five equal ten? There is no population to pull a sample from.<\/li>\n<li>What is the average size TV in a New York City apartment? Now that is a great statistical question!<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<section class=\"textbox tryIt\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" id=\"ohm660\" class=\"resizable\" src=\"https:\/\/ohm.one.lumenlearning.com\/multiembedq.php?id=660&theme=lumen&iframe_resize_id=ohm660&source=tnh\" width=\"100%\" height=\"150\"><\/iframe><\/section>\n<section class=\"textbox tryIt\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" id=\"ohm657\" class=\"resizable\" src=\"https:\/\/ohm.one.lumenlearning.com\/multiembedq.php?id=657&theme=lumen&iframe_resize_id=ohm657&source=tnh\" width=\"100%\" height=\"150\"><\/iframe><\/section>\n","protected":false},"author":13,"menu_order":9,"template":"","meta":{"_candela_citation":"[]","pb_show_title":"on","pb_short_title":"","pb_subtitle":"","pb_authors":[],"pb_section_license":""},"chapter-type":[],"contributor":[],"license":[],"part":375,"module-header":"learn_it","content_attributions":[],"internal_book_links":[],"video_content":[{"divId":"tnh-video-picker","title":"Data and Statistical Questions","label":"Select Instructor","video_collection":[{"displayName":"Dr. Pamela E. 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