The Fundamentals of Statistics - Assignment Example

in order to provide a clearer illustration of the data, the use of graphs and pie charts is paramount.

Introduction
There are many things that are not explicitly understandable and usually require uncovering. Therefore, it is important for the interested parties to come up with ways of developing an adequately deep understanding of the target information. In most cases, the information being sought is usually of significant importance. The information could be explanatory or even form a basis for the evaluation of the problems at hand. This is the reason why people embark on research since it enables them to capture data upon which to validate their views or obtain explanations (Goddard & Melville, 2001). A study conducted on a sample of inmates revealed a number of things based on the views of the inmates on the criminal justice system. The study encompassed qualitative and quantitative variables all of which were related to criminal justice. This is an outlook into two of the variables studied namely “types of offenses” and satisfaction of the inmates with regard to “incarceration services”.
Analysis

It is indisputable that different offenses have different frequencies of occurrence thus the need to look into the specific offenses for which the inmates were in. Figure 1 is a representation of the findings of the study with regard to the types of offense for which the inmates were jailed. There were 7 inmates jailed for homicide and 9 in each of the robbery and burglary categories. The information is illustrated in a pie chart to clearly depict the proportion of inmates assigned to each of the categories of offenses. The use of pie enhances the visibility of the relationship existing between the variables under study.

The type of offense is a qualitative variable and some of the measures of central tendency and variability cannot be obtained. Qualitative data is categorical and non-numerical thus difficult to obtain measures that require numerical data. The only measure that is usable with qualitative data such as the type of offense is the mode (Goddard & Melville, 2001). Measures such as the mean, median, variance and standard deviation if calculated from the coded data will be reflective of the measures resultant from the values assigned to variables. The mode of the data is 3, which is the value assigned to burglary during the coding process.

In acknowledgment of the presence of varied views on the incarceration services, the study sought the inmates’ satisfaction. The responses were structured into a scale ranging from 1 to 7, where figures were picked commensurate with the level of satisfaction as perceived by the inmates. The scale results in quantitative data since there are no categories into which to place the variables. The data obtained is numerical thus making it possible to calculate all measures of tendency and variability. It is possible to obtain the mean, median, mode, variance and standard deviation (Ellis, Hartley & Walsh, 2010).

The table below the graph in figure 2 represents the values of the three measures and the variability aforementioned. For instance, the mean satisfaction of the inmates with regard to incarceration services is 5.196 while the standard deviation is 0.7887. These figures are obtained from values of the level of satisfaction as recorded by the inmates. As illustrated by the data captured from inmates, it is very confusing and difficult to make an informed decision without further analysis and reorganization. One of the ways to reduce the confusion is to use a graph as in figure 2. The graph enables the researcher to easily identify the range within which the collected data lies. For instance, the graph allows easy comparison of the different values that make up the responses of the inmates. It makes it possible to explicitly identify the highest and lowest data point with regard to incarceration services.

It is important to understand the nature of data obtained from the different variables that make up a study. For instance, understanding whether data is qualitative or quantitative helps in determining the measures that are usable with it. It is also evident that the use of charts and graphs significantly enhances understanding and interpretation of data and should be embraced. Read More