Descriptive statistics provide a concise summary of data in a meaningful way through methods like measures of central tendency (mean, median, mode), measures of dispersion, frequency distributions, and graphs. It allows for simpler interpretation of large data sets but does not allow for generalization beyond the sample or testing of hypotheses. Descriptive statistics clarify patterns in the data but have limitations since conclusions cannot be drawn about populations beyond the sample. Common techniques include tabulation, graphical representation like histograms and calculation of mean, median and mode to describe and compare distributions.