Statistics Sections 1-1, 1-2, 1-3

Read pages 3-11 and 15-20.

There are many definitions in the reading that you should learn. I will hit as many
highlights as I can, but there is just not time in class to cover every definition. In
college more of the learning process is your responsibility. I do expect you to read
assigned pages in the textbook (e-book is available in MyStatLab if you did not buy a
physical textbook), and ideally this should be done before you start working
homework. If you manage your time well, you should be able to get help and ask
questions when things dont make sense. I have 10 hours of posted office time a
week, and tutors are available in the Academic Resource Center in Davis 109 many
late afternoons and evenings. Some questions you may be able to get answered by
using tutorial features within homework questions, and sometimes it works to e-mail a
question to me and have me respond by e-mail.
Do you know the difference between Statistics as a science and a statistic? How does
a statistic differ from a parameter? How can you tell when data comes from a
population vs. a sample?
What is the difference between discrete data vs. continuous data?
How about numerical (quantitative) data vs. categorical (qualitative) data?
What are the different levels of measuring data? Can you identify examples of data at
the correct level?

Levels of Measuring Data

Nominal Data consists only of names/categories/labels and cannot be arranged in
some inherent order
(alphabetical order does not count). Numbers not representing size can be
nominal.
Examples:

Ordinal Data can be arranged in some inherent order but differences between data
values either cant be
obtained or are meaningless. Subtracting data values is impossible or doesnt
result in something that means anything.
Examples:

Interval Data can be arranged in some inherent order, and meaningful differences
can be found between
data values. (It does make sense when you subtract data values.) There is no
inherent starting point to the data set (like 0) and ratios are meaningless. (You
cant use phrases like twice as or one-fourth as or three times as because
they dont mean anything).
Examples:
Ratio Data can be arranged in some inherent order, meaningful differences between
data values exist,
there is an inherent starting point to data values (0 would be pretty common),
and ratios between data values are meaningful. (It may be easier to think
about whether data has a starting point than whether ratios are meaningful. If
you are sure there is a starting point, then data is measured at the ratio level. If
you are sure there is not a starting point, then data cannot be at the ratio level.)
Example: