Engineering Data Analysis Lecture Notes

These flashcards cover key vocabulary terms and definitions from the Engineering Data Analysis course focused on statistics relevant to engineering.

Statistics

The science of collecting, organizing, summarizing, and analyzing information to draw conclusions or answer questions.

Statistical Process Control (SPC)

A method used in quality control to monitor and control a process by using statistical methods.

Population

The total collection of all elements that are of interest in a study.

Sample

A subgroup of the population that is studied in detail.

Data Collection

The process of gathering and measuring information on variables of interest in a systematic manner.

Hypothesis Testing

A statistical method used to determine if there is enough evidence to reject a null hypothesis.

Regression Analysis

A statistical process for estimating relationships among variables, often used to determine the relationship between industrial emissions and air pollution.

Confidence Interval

A range of values derived from sample statistics that is likely to contain the population parameter.

Explanatory Variable

A variable that is manipulated or observed to determine its effect on a response variable.

Response Variable

A variable that measures the effect of the explanatory variable.

Randomization

The process of assigning subjects to different treatments in an experiment to minimize bias.

Blinding

A technique used in experiments to prevent bias by keeping participants unaware of the treatment they receive.

Qualitative Variables

Variables that yield categorical responses, representing class or category.

Quantitative Variables

Variables that take on numerical values representing an amount.

Discrete Variable

A quantitative variable with a finite or countable number of possible values.

Continuous Variable

A quantitative variable that has an infinite number of possible values.

Nominal Level of Measurement

Identifies, names, classifies, or categorizes objects or events.

Ordinal Level of Measurement

Categorizes objects or events with an additional property of a logical order.

Interval Level of Measurement

Identifies ordered values with equal distances between scales.

Ratio Level of Measurement

Identifies ordered values, represents equal distances, and has an absolute zero point.

Sampling Error

Error resulting from taking one sample instead of examining the whole population.

Non-sampling Error

Errors that result from the survey process and cannot be attributed to sample-to-sample variability.