Ch 1 - Intro to Stats: Vocabulary Flashcards

Vocabulary flashcards covering key statistics terms from Chapter 1 notes.

frequency

Count or number of occurrences in data.

mu (μ)

Population mean; the known average.

x-bar (x̄)

Sample mean; the average of a sample.

Statistics

Science of collecting, summarizing, analyzing, and interpreting information.

Descriptive statistics

Methods for describing or summarizing data (tables, graphs, numerical measures).

Inferential statistics

Methods for making generalizations about a population from sample data.

Population

Total collection of all individuals or items of interest.

Sample

A subset of the population used for analysis.

Parameter

A numerical characteristic of the population.

Statistic

A numerical characteristic computed from a sample; used to estimate a parameter.

Estimator

A rule or formula that yields a statistic to estimate a parameter.

Census

A complete count of the population.

Survey

A method of collecting data from a sample to learn about a population.

Variable

A characteristic that can vary among individuals or items.

Data

Observations or measurements collected from a study.

Bias

Systematic error that causes results to be unrepresentative.

Judgement sample

Sample chosen based on the researcher’s judgment.

Simple Random Sample (SRS)

Each member has an equal chance of being selected.

Sampling without replacement

Once selected, units are not returned to the population for further draws.

Dependent

Sampling with replacement

Selected units are returned before the next draw.

Independent

Distribution

Pattern of values for a variable—how often each value occurs.

Quantitative

Data in numerical form; measurable quantities.

Discrete

Countable numeric values.

Continuous

Infinite numeric values within a range.

Qualitative (categorical)

Non-numerical attributes or categories.

Observational study

Observe subjects without imposing treatment or altering conditions.

Experimental study

Researchers impose treatment and observe effects.