Characteristics of statistics

Horace Secrist defined statistics as
“Certain essential characteristics which
must be possessed by numerical data, in
order to be called ‘Statistics’.
Lets Discuss one by one;
Characteristics of Statistics

1. Statistics are Aggregate of Facts
2. Statistics are Affected to a marked Extent by
Multiplicity, of Causes:
3. Statistics are Numerically Expressed
4. Statistics are Enumerated or estimated according
to Reasonable Standards of Accuracy
5. Statistics are Collected in a Systematic Manner
6. Statistics for a Pre-determined Purpose
7. Statistics are Capable of being Placed in Relation
to each other

1- Statistics are Aggregate of Facts
• Only those facts which are capable of being
studied in relation to time, place or frequency can be
called statistics.
• Individual, single or unconnected figures are not
statistics because they cannot be studied in relation to
each other.
• Due to this reason, only aggregate of facts e.g.,
data relating to I.Q. of a group of students, academic
achievement of students, etc. are called statistics and
are studied in relation to each other.

2. Statistics are Affected to a marked Extent by
Multiplicity, of Causes:
• Statistical data are more related to social
sciences and as such, changes are affected to a
combined effect of many factors.
• We cannot study the effect of a particular cause
on a phenomenon.
• It is only in physical sciences that individual
causes can be traced and their impact is clearly
known.
• In statistical study of social sciences, we come
to know the combined effect of multiple causes.

For example, deterioration of achievement score in
academic sphere of some students may not be only
due to lack of interest in school subjects, but may also
due to lack of motivation, effective teaching methods,
attitude of the students on school subjects, faulty
scoring procedure, etc.
Similarly scores on memory test of a group certainly
depend on meaningfulness of learning materials,
maturation of the students, methods of learning,
motivation, interest of the students, etc.

3. Statistics are Numerically Expressed:
• Qualitative phenomena which cannot
be numerically expressed, cannot be
described as statistics e.g. honesty,
goodness, ability, etc.
• But if we assign numerical expression,
it maybe described as ‘statistics’.

4. Statistics are Enumerated or estimated
according to Reasonable Standards of
Accuracy:
• The standard of estimation and of accuracy differs from
enquiry to enquiry or from purpose to purpose. There cannot be
one standard of uniformity for all types of enquiries and for all
purposes.
• A single student cannot be ignored while calculating I.Q.
of 100 students in group whereas 10 soldiers can be easily
ignored while finding out I.Q. of soldiers of whole country.
• Similarly we can ignore ten deaths in a country but we
cannot ignore even a single death in a family. The amount of
time and resources at disposal also determine the amount of
accuracy in estimates.

5. Statistics are Collected in a Systematic
Manner:
• In order to have reasonable standard of
accuracy statistics must be collected in a very
systematic manner.
• Any rough and haphazard method of
collection will not be desirable for that may lead
to improper and wrong conclusion.
• Accuracy will also be not definite and as
such cannot be believed.

6. Statistics for a Pre-determined Purpose:
• The investigator must have a purpose
beforehand and then should start the work of
collection.
• Data collected without any purpose is of no use.
• Suppose we want to know intelligence of a
section of people, we must not collect data relating to
income, attitude and interest.
• Without having a clear idea about the purpose
we will not be in a position to distinguish between
necessary data and unnecessary data or relevant data
and irrelevant data.

7. Statistics are Capable of being Placed in
Relation to each other:
• Statistics is a method for the purpose of comparison etc.
• It must be capable of being compared, otherwise, it will
lose much of its value and significance.
• Comparison can be made only if the data are
homogeneous.
• Data on memory test can be compared with I.Q. not with
salary status of parents.
• It is with the use of comparison only that we can depict
changes which may relate to time, place, frequency or any other
character, and statistical devices are used for this purpose.

Characteristics of statistics

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Characteristics of statistics