1. Statistics and the Scientific Method

Question 1

Scientific Method

Answer 1

1. Formulate research goal: research hypotheses, models
2. Design study: sample size, variables, experimental units, sampling mechanism
3. Collect data: data management
4. Draw inferences: graphs, estimation, hypotheses testing, model assessment
5. Make decisions: written conclusions, oral presentations
6. Formulate new research goals: new models, new hypotheses –> go back to #2

Question 2

The Four-Step Process (in learning from data)

Answer 2

1. Defining the problem
2. Collecting the data
3. Summarizing the data
4. Analyzing the data, interpreting the analyses, and communicating the results

Question 3

Population

Answer 3

the set of all measurements of interest to the sample collector.

Question 4

Sample

Answer 4

any subset of measurements selected from the population

Question 5

Data Mining Models

Answer 5

the patterns and trends discovered in the analysis of data (data mining)

Can be applied to many situations, ex:

Forecasting (Estimating future sales, predicting demands on a power grid, or estimating server downtime)

Assessing risk (Choosing the rates for insurance premiums, selecting best customers for a new sales campaign, determining which medical therapy is most appropriate given the physiological characteristics of the patient)

Identifying sequences (Determining customer preferences in online purchases, predicting weather events)

Grouping (Placing customers or events into cluster of related items, analyzing and predicting relationships between demographic characteristics and purchasing patterns, identifying fraud in credit card purchases)

Question 6

Data Mining

Answer 6

a process by which useful information is obtained from large sets of data

• uses statistical techniques