What is statistical inference?

Static or statistical inference inference is a branch of the statistics which is responsible for drawing general conclusions from a part of the statistical population (that is, the object of study, which can be made up of a set of individuals, objects or phenomena). The objective of statistical inference is to obtain a series of useful conclusions that allow the statesman to make inferences about a given totality.

Bases of inferential statistics

To make inferences, draw conclusions and develop medical or health trends mercado, statistical inference requires the following variables to be used.

  • Taking samples.
  • The estimation of statistical variables.
  • The contrast of the hypothesis.
  • Experimental design.
  • Non-parametric methods.

How is statistical inference calculated?

To find the statistical inference of our object of study we will have to resort to probabilistic sampling, which consists of choosing a random sample of the population. We found three different types of sampling:

  • simple random sampling, in which the elements of the population are numbered and the "n" elements contained in the sample are randomly selected.
  • systematic random sampling, in which an individual is chosen at random and, from him and at more or less constant intervals, the other subjects are chosen until the entire sample is completed.
  • stratified random sampling, in which the population is divided into classes or strata to randomly choose a certain number of individuals from each of the classes (proportional, however, to the number of components of each of the strata ).

Examples of statistical inference

We find numerous cases in which inferential statistics is applied, especially in the world of business, finance and even the public sector. Here we explain some of the most representative examples:

  • Market analyzes carried out from focus groups and street-level surveys to determine what people prefer.
  • The electoral polls that are carried out to draw important conclusions about public opinion: who is the most popular politician, what are the most valued measures, etc.
  • Medical epidemiology in charge of determining the necessary measures to eradicate a disease or stop its contagion.

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