Quantitative Methods Questions
Descriptive statistics and inferential statistics are two branches of statistics that serve different purposes.
Descriptive statistics involves summarizing and describing data using measures such as mean, median, mode, standard deviation, and range. It aims to provide a clear and concise summary of the data, allowing researchers to understand the characteristics and patterns within the dataset. Descriptive statistics are used to describe and analyze data in a straightforward manner, without making any generalizations or predictions beyond the dataset itself.
On the other hand, inferential statistics involves making inferences and generalizations about a population based on a sample of data. It uses statistical techniques to draw conclusions and make predictions about a larger population. Inferential statistics allows researchers to make statements about the population based on the sample data, taking into account the inherent variability and uncertainty in the data. It involves hypothesis testing, confidence intervals, and regression analysis, among other techniques.
In summary, descriptive statistics focuses on summarizing and describing data, while inferential statistics aims to make inferences and predictions about a larger population based on a sample.