Inferential Statistics Basics

Luker describes sampling through canonical social science research as a “systemic random probability sample”, with the goal of producing results that can then be apply and a general way. For example, with a research question that focuses on voting in a election, A canonical social science research question may trying to determine how many voters are expected to vote a certain way in a election. By using randomly sampling a certain number of voters could be surveyed the result can provide a general description of the voting trend of an entire populations with similar characteristic as the sample group. While I agree with Luker that sampling is important to both canonical qualitative and qualitative social science research, in the case of qualitative research, the word has different meaning.

Data is a group of information that are used for various purposes like analysis, evaluations and to arrive at certain results or conclusions. Data reporting is a process where data is extracted form a source or many sources and then converted into a format that can be used for a purpose.

Data is facts and numbers that hasn’t been modified or analysed for example times and numbers. When data is by itself it has no meaning to it however information by itself does have a meaning.

Dataset is a collection of information or data. More often dataset refer to the corresponding to single table of database in which every row represents a given member of dataset and every column corresponds to a specific variable. List values of the datasets for each variable is a member of data present in the datasets and each of its value is called as datum. Datasets may contain data for one or more than one members that is interrelated to the number of rows in the table. Datasets can contain more than one table that is related to one database in the database system.

Data is defined as useful raw material which is intended to be useful for both the originator and for the intended receiver. Data consists largely of facts and figures ideal for communicating the intended meaning. This data can be interpreted and can be categorised as follows;

According to Schutt (2008), sampling is defined as a subset of population used in a study to be a representation of the population as a whole. My final project is a pre-hire assessment which analyzes potential risky pattern behaviors and emotions in the work place. One of the most important considerations related to sampling that will need to be addressed in my final project is defining the population that will be taking the assessment.

A population is the entire group to be studied and a sample is a portion of the population.

Data is the form of input, which can be produced into information. For example, 5000 could be the value of a piece of data that a business has. By adding context to this, for example if an organisation sold 1000 sandwiches in a week; this becomes information, which will influence important decisions

Data comprises of factual information. Data are the facts from which information is derived. Data is not necessarily informative on its own but needs to be structured, interpreted, analysed and contextualised. Once data undergoes this process, it transforms in to information. Information should be accessible and understood by the reader without needing to be interpreted or manipulated in any way.

“In systematic sampling when population size N is a multiple of the sample size n, (N = nk), where k is the sampling interval, a unit is selected at random from the first k units and then every kth unit is selected to get a sample size” (Khan, Shabbir, & Gupta, 2013, p. 2659). A systematic sample frame for a healthcare management position will look like a list of all qualifying candidates (N) and every kth candidate is chosen for interviews from the

(p. 74) ( Robert Stake 1995) One example of quantitative data being used in juvenile justice would be minorities often received more formalized treatment, were detained more often, and were placed out of the home more often than their majority counterparts. (C J Corley ; T S Bynum ; A Prewitt ; P Schram, 1996) Quantitative data is used in the criminal system to help describe and explain criminal behavior and social responses to criminal

“Data is plural of datum, which is the dates, numbers, ages, symbols, letters, and words that represent basic facts and observations about people, processes, measurements, and conditions.” To be useful, data must be accurate.

Qualitative research which the text on page 43 says involves non-numerical data such as texts, notes photos, recording, transcripts, etc. An example of this would be to review a sampling of a subordinate officer’s arrests. Data

Researchers need to select individuals who are part of the population for their studies. That is, from all possible people or organizations in the population, they select a sample for study from the population. A sample is a subgroup of the population that the researcher plans to study for generalizing about the population (Plano-Clark & Creswell,

-The sampling distribution is a distribution of the results if all possible samples are selected, where as a population distribution is the distribution of a particular variable of interest.