Descriptive and Inferential Statistics

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Descriptive and Inferential Statistics Paper Alistair Taylor, José Interiano, Myvia Jones & Nakia Thompson PSY 315 – Statistical Reasoning in Psychology Gina Pendergrass February 17, 2014 Statistical Methods in Psychology In the field of psychology, researchers rely on different methods to summarize data in a concise and clear manner. Part of these methods include statistics—a mathematical branch that focuses on organizing, analyzing, and interpreting large groups of numbers (Aron, Aron, Coups, 2009). The role of statistics in the research process is to present complex mathematical equations and their results in a less convoluted manner. In other words, make sense of the results through a high-level overview—so to speak. There are level of statistical methods, however, that break-down such data even further with specific formulas and intends behind them—one of them being an even easier way summarize the research in order to conclude it. The two main statistical methods use within psychological research are descriptive and inferential statistics. These methods can be presented in different forms—depending upon the level of information required to summarize. “Statistics is a branch of mathematics that focuses on the organization, analysis, and interpretation of a group of numbers” (Aron, A., Aron, E. N., & Coups, E. 2009). Statistics are a method of finding the truth and psychologist use statistical methods to help them make sense of the numbers that collect during their experiments and research and is the essence of human evolution and psychology of science. With these statistics psychologist are able to see if there theory is correct or whether they need to do more research. There are two different types of statistics that are used to draw conclusions and to describe information and they are descriptive statistics and inferential statistics
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