Definition:Sample Statistic

Definition

A sample statistic is a numerical description of a sample.

Also known as

A sample statistic can also be seen referred to as just a statistic when it is not necessary to emphasize the distinction between a sample statistic and a population parameter.

Another word for sample statistic is datum.

Also note the plural form statistics (as used in this context), also known as data.

The word data is more commonly encountered than statistics, as the latter word is also used to mean the mathematical discipline as opposed to these particular elements.

Discrete Data

Data which can be described with a discrete variable are known as discrete data.

Continuous Data

Data which can be described with a continuous variable obtained by the process of measurement are known as continuous data.

Raw Data

Raw data are collected data which have not been organized or analysed in any way.

Also see

• Results about sample statistics can be found here.

Linguistic Note on Data

The word data is a plural noun.

Its singular is datum, which derives from the Latin for thing which is (or has been) given.

Like many other nouns whose plural form is irregular, in popular usage data is often (technically incorrectly) used as both the singular and plural forms.

Sources

• 1972: Murray R. Spiegel and R.W. Boxer: Theory and Problems of Statistics (SI ed.) ... (previous) ... (next): Chapter $1$: Variables and Graphs: Statistics
• 1998: David Nelson: The Penguin Dictionary of Mathematics (2nd ed.) ... (previous) ... (next): data (singular datum)
• 1998: David Nelson: The Penguin Dictionary of Mathematics (2nd ed.) ... (previous) ... (next): statistics: 3.
• 2008: David Nelson: The Penguin Dictionary of Mathematics (4th ed.) ... (previous) ... (next): data (singular datum)
• 2008: David Nelson: The Penguin Dictionary of Mathematics (4th ed.) ... (previous) ... (next): statistics: 3.
• 2011: Charles Henry Brase and Corrinne Pellillo Brase: Understandable Statistics (10th ed.): $\S 1.1$
• 2014: Christopher Clapham and James Nicholson: The Concise Oxford Dictionary of Mathematics (5th ed.) ... (previous) ... (next): data