There are a few things that can make a difference in how you’re going to feel after you read this list.
The first thing is the choice you make when you read a statistic. It can feel better or worse. If you choose to read a statistic that’s positive, it makes you feel better, but if you choose to read a statistic that’s negative it makes you feel worse. The second thing that can make a difference is simply the source of the data. Many “stats” that you read online include things like “the average college student earns $27,000 per year.
The third thing that can make a difference is the choice you make about the size of the sample. When you read a statistic that says the typical student earns 27,000 per year but the average student only earns $5,000 per year, you might not see much of a difference in your results; however, the reader’s choice about the size of the sample could.
For example, in most statistics you read online the first number is the sample size, then the second number is the mean or median, and the third number is the standard deviation. The standard deviation is a measure of how much of the sample you have to be wrong about. The sample size is the actual number of students in the study. If the sample size is small, then the standard deviation is large and you can draw your conclusions with less confidence.
The sample size is related to how small you make your study. The larger the sample, the larger the standard deviation, and the lower the chance of finding a result that’s statistically significant.
If the standard deviation is large, then you will have to rely on a relatively small sample to make a conclusion, as opposed to a very large one. But if the standard deviation is small, you can find a statistically significant result with less confidence, as the chance of finding a result thats statistically significant is much higher.
In science the study of random numbers, which are often used to try to figure out how something works, is referred to as a statistical experiment. A statistical experiment is a thought experiment in which you have to decide if something is happening or not.
In statistics, a conclusion can be made with very little statistical support. An example would be “the odds of winning the lottery are 1 in 5.” Another example would be “the odds of a terrorist attack are 1 in 100,000.” But if the standard deviation is large, you may not have the power to make a statistically significant conclusion.
We’re talking about the use of the statistical tests to determine significance. For example, if the standard deviation is high, you won’t really have a lot of power to detect a difference in the odds of a terrorist attack. Or maybe you will, but it will be extremely small. In this example, the standard deviation would be extremely small, so you can’t really say that the odds of a terrorist attack are 1 in 100,000.
This is a very general statement, but it’s hard to explain. It’s kind of like saying that were talking about the statistical tests to determine significance. It’s kind of like saying that were talking about the use of the statistical tests to determine significance. For example, if the standard deviation is high, you wont really have a lot of power to detect a difference in the odds of a terrorist attack. Or maybe you will, but it will be extremely small.
