Data and Statistics

TLDR: In this paper, a set of data is defined as a collection of observed values representing one or more characteristics of some objects or units, which can be classified according to a standard measurement scale that goes from strong to weak depending on the amount or precision of information available in the scale.

Abstract: Publisher Summary This chapter defines the components of a dataset, presents tools that are used to describe a dataset, and briefly discusses methods of data collection. A set of data is defined as a collection of observed values representing one or more characteristics of some objects or units. Data are obtained from two broad categories of sources: (1) primary data are collected as part of the study and (2) secondary data are obtained from published sources such as journals, governmental publications, news media, or almanacs. The observations can be classified according to a standard measurement scale that goes from strong to weak depending on the amount or precision of information available in the scale. The nature of the data description and statistical inference is dependent on the type of variable being studied. The ratio scale of measurement uses the concept of a unit of distance or measurement and requires a unique definition of a zero value, whereas the interval scale of measurement also uses the concept of distance or measurement and requires a “zero” point, but the definition of zero may be arbitrary. There are also the ordinal scale and the nominal scale that distinguishes among measurements on the basis of the relative amounts of some characteristic they possess and identifies observed values by name or classification, respectively.