Inferential statistics frequently involves estimation (i.e., guessing the characteristics of a population from a sample of the population) and hypothesis testing (i.e., finding evidence for or against an explanation or theory). Statistics describe and analyze variables.

Why do we study samples in inferential statistics?

For instance, we use inferential statistics to try to infer from the sample data what the population might think. Or, we use inferential statistics to make judgments of the probability that an observed difference between groups is a dependable one or one that might have happened by chance in this study.

What is an inference in a statistical study?

Statistical inference is the process of drawing conclusions about an underlying population based on a sample or subset of the data. In most cases, it is not practical to obtain all the measurements in a given population.