What is statistics?

Statistics is defines as the science comprising rules and

procedure for collecting, organizing, summarizing, describing analyzing,
presenting and interpreting numerical data which are used in making decisions,
valid estimates, predictions and generalizations.
Apart from using statistics to inform people, it plays a significant role in
modern day business and educational decision making and forecasting. Statistical
methods offer us the opportunity to evaluate an uncertain future using limited
information to access the likelihood of future events occurring.
As a student you need to study statistics because of its usefulness in making
prediction and taking decision on educational matters. downier and Health (1970)
indicated the following as reasons for studying statistics:
Daily use: statistics is of immediate and practical utility they help one get
work done quickly and efficiently.
Problem solving: when action reaches are conducted to solve immediate
problems, statistical methods are applied to the data.
Theoretical research: Theories predict what we expect to observe in specific
circumstances, most researches in the behavioral sciences are now very
sophisticated and are therefore more quantitative.
Comprehensive and use of research: The competent educator and researcher
must be able to read, with understanding reports of applied and theoretical
research. Learning in any field comes largely through reading
Employment: statistical logic, statistical thinking and statistical operations
are necessary components.
Purpose of statistics
As earlier mentioned, statistics is used in a variety of forms by different
people. However, the primary purposes of statistics are to:

 Reduce large array of data to manageable and comprehensible form.

Aid in the study of populations and samples.
Aid in making reliable inferences about events beases on observational data.
And
a)
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b) The following are the methods of data collection procedures in Nigeria.
Census: a census is a study that obtains data from every member of a
population. In most studies and /or time required.
Sample survey: a sample survey is a study that obtains data from a subset of
a population in order to estimate population attributes.
Experiment, an experiment is alcohol study in which the research attempt
to understand causes and effect relationship . The study controlled in the
sense that research control (i) how subject are assigned to group and (ii)
which treatment each group receives.
In the analysis phase, the researcher compares group scores some dependent
variables. Based on the analyses, the researcher draws a conclusion about
whether the treatment. (Independent variable) had a causal effect on the
dependent variables.
Observational study: Like experiments, observational studies attempt to
understand causes and effect relationships. However, unlike experiments, the
researcher is not able to control (i) hoe subjects are assigned to groups
and/or (ii) which treatment each group receives.
Interviewing: It is a methods where an interviewer contacts the member of
the sample or population personally to ask questions in the questionnaire (a
list of questions used in a survey) this is mostly used for such survey as
human population census. Rural and urban house hold inquires market
prices survey, family expenditure survey and other statistical inquiries where
personal content of interviewer with respondent is necessary.

 Mail questionnaire: In this method a list of questions to be used in the survey

(the questionnaire) is prepared and it is used to collect the required
information. These question are sent out to various people, organizations
departments e.t.c to be answered and returned.
Abstraction from publish statistics: In this method data are taken from other
peoples figures or published statistics.

Reference
Best, J.W and Kahn, J.u (1986): Research in Education Practice Hall Inter.
Boyinbode I R (1984) Fundamental Statistics Methods In Education and
Research, Ile-Ife, Dc S. S Books.
Gullford, J. P and Fruchter, b (1973) Fundamental Statistics in Statistics
Psychology and Education
Business statistics I by P. O Ugbem (Ben Poly)