SOCSCI 2J03 Lecture Notes - Lecture 1: Statistical Inference, Continuous Or Discrete Variable, Descriptive Statistics

• School: McMaster University
• Department: Social Sciences
• Course: SOCSCI 2J03
• Professor: Rizwan Tahir

Document Summary

Inferential statistics: utilizes sample data to make estimates, decisions, predictions, or other generalizations about a larger set of data, used to draw conclusions about whole population. Basic terms: an element or member of a sample or population is a specific subject or object (for example, a person, firm, item, state, or country) about which the information is collected. Quantitative variables: a variable that can be measured numerically is called a quantitative variable, the data collected on a quantitative variable are called quantitative data. Cross-section data: data collected on different elements at the same point in time or for the same period of time. Numerical (continuous: example: number of first year students across different faculties at mcmaster in 2018 academic year. Time-series data: data collected on the same element for the same variable at different points in time or for different periods of time, example: number of first year students at mcmaster from 2010 to 1018.