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Descriptive & Inferential Statistics in Research

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What are descriptive statistics? What are inferential statistics? How are each used in quantitative studies?

What different types of variables are used in quantitative studies? Describe each type of variable and how they differ.

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The solution is a concise 682-word narrative that explains and differentiates descriptive and inferential statistics and their importance and usage in quantitative research. Variables/data types in quantitative research is also listed and defined to show their application.

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Descriptive & Inferential Statistics

In quantitative studies, statistical studies are often relied upon to present measurable data relevant to the subject of study in order to seek out patterns and prove or disprove hypothesis and assumptions. Descriptive statistics describes a grouping or collection of data in quantitative terms. Its aim in such groupings is to quantitatively summarize data sets. This is its main difference with inferential or inductive statistics. Inferential statistics are used to support assumptions or certain arguments built up by quantitative statistical facts about a certain population set. Summarized data sets from descriptive analysis are formally analysed and then presented as a 'whole' and are said to be able to stand scrutiny on their own without the need for additional inductive statistical data. When studying groups for example, each groups are taken as 'unique' and differ greatly from each other which is seen as ...

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Xenia Rochelle Jones, MA, PhD (IP)
Education
  • MPhil/PhD (IP), Open University, Milton Keynes, UK
  • MA, Open University, Milton Keynes, UK
  • Certificate, Geva Ulpan (via Universita Tel Aviv)
  • BA, University of the Philippines
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