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Descriptive and Inferential Statistics Paper

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Descriptive and Inferential Statistics Paper
Casie Thibeault
PSY/315
July 27, 2013
Michelle A. Williams, PhD

Descriptive and Inferential Statistics Paper
The very word “statistics” seems to produce anxiety in most students - anxiety produced from its connection to mathematics. The first step in controlling anxiety is to understand the connection and just how useful statistics can be for comprehending information that has been gathered. A statistic is a representation of information, and its function is to help researchers either to organize, summarize, or understand data. The ability to describe data is essential when gathering statistics. Statistics can be broken down into two basic types: descriptive statistics and inferential statistics. Descriptive statistics are a summary of information that makes the data presented more easily understood. The descriptive method is limited to only the population in which the researcher is dealing with, and only describes that particular group (Purdue OWL, 1995-2013). Inferential statistics offers a more detailed conclusion regarding the hypothesis. A benefit of the inferential method is that it can be used to take a broader view of populations, making it possible to draw conclusions about sizeable groups of people (Purdue OWL, 1995-2013). In a nutshell, the simple way to distinguish between the two would be that descriptive statistics summarize and inferential statistics draw conclusions. Both descriptive and inferential statistics not only allow the researchers to present the data gathered in a professional manner, they also enable them to move from hypothesis to conclusion with greater ease.
Functions of Statistics
Statistics are used to collect, analyze and interpret data (University of Nebraska, 2011). Statistics represent the mathematical side of conducting research, and are utilized in almost every

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