This document provides an introduction to a course on statistical methods in nursing. It outlines the general objectives of understanding the nature and definition of statistics, its brief historical development, distinguishing samples from populations, types of variables, and the importance of statistics in research. It includes a pre-test to assess students' basic knowledge of statistical concepts before beginning the lessons.

2. MASTER OF ARTS IN NURSING MAN602 Statistical Methods in Nursing

3. INTRODUCTION Undoubtedly, statistics is a very useful tool in the various in the various activities of man. During the primitive period, people were not conscious that they were already using statistics in counting events, activities, things, etc. They were not also aware that they were STATISTICS AS A SCIENCE using statistics in determining the birth rate, crop yield, occurrence of events at a certain period of time, etc. The use of statistics in modern time is of course different from those of primitive past.The modern man utilizes statistics, as a science, in the various field of studies, professional endeavors, and even for personal profit. You will then understand the nature and meaning of statistics, its brief historical development, the difference between sample and population, the meaning and kinds of variables, and the importance of statistics especially in the field of research.

5. PRE-TEST 1 Test your knowledge if the basic ideas in statistics. As much as possible, avoid guessing. At any rate, this test in not graded. Choose the letter of the best answer from the given four choices. Write your answer on the blank before the number. _____ 1. From the research point of view, statistics as a science deals with the following activities: A. collection and gathering of data B. presentation and analysis of data C. interpretation of data D. All of the above

6. ______ 2. In counting events, objects, people, etc., the measurements that are collected from the original information are called _________. A. data B. scores C. raw data D. none of the above _____ 3. In making generalizations about the population from which the sample has been drawn, the measure to use is called __________. A. descriptive statistics B. inferential statistics C. correlational statistics D. statistics

7. _____ 4. It refers to the aggregates of people, objects, materials, etc. of any form. A. population B. sample C. estimate D. statistic _____ 5. If you are interested with just a few members of the population to represent their traits and properties, then these selected few members constitute a/an __________. A. Sample B. Aggregate C. Estimate D. statistic

8. _____ 6. This term refers to a property, trait or characteristic whereby the members of the group vary or differ from one another. A. Variable B. Constant C. Measurement D. None of the above _____ 7. A variable which allows making of statements only of equality or difference among the members of a group. A. Nominal variable B. Ratio C. Interval variable D. Ordinal variable _____ 8. If you judge individuals according to their level of job satisfaction by ranking them, the resulting variable is a/an ________. A. Nominal

9. B. Ratio C. Ordinal D. Interval _____ 9. The number of make students in a class is referred to a/an __________ variable. B. Nominal C. Ordinal D. Ratio ______ 10. Which of the following statements is not true about the uses of Statistics? A. Interval A. It can predict the behavior of individuals like students, workers, school administrations, etc. B. It can give precise description of data.

10. C. It can be used to test a hypothesis in research. D. It can be used to solve emotional problems. LESSON 1.1 THE NATURE AND SCIENTIFIC DEFINITION OF STATISTICS The Nature of Statistics The employment of statistics in man’s various activities during the past several centuries is said to be in a limited sense. Its usefulness was trapped basically in counting or determining the number of events that have occurred at a certain period of time, birth rate, mortality rate, etc. In counting activities, events, things, etc., the measurements that are gathered are referred to raw data. These data may be treated

11. by statistical tools in order to relate, associate, or describe the data. In the method of description, the statistical tool to apply is called descriptive statistics. In the method or relation and correlation two variables, correlational statistics is utilized. Finally, in drawing generalizations regarding the population from which the sample has been gathered, the tool to utilize is inferential statistics . Scientific Definition of Statistics Statistics can be defined operationally. From the point of view of a researcher, statistics is a science which deals with the methods of collecting, gathering, presenting, analyzing and interpreting data. The data gathering includes the collection of information through questionnaires, observations, interviews, experiments, test, etc. The information are usually converted into numerical or quantitative data. The data collected can be displayed

12. through the use of graphs, tables, figures and other ways of exhibiting the data. There are two ways of presenting data in tabular form. The text or summary table is usually found in the body of the research work. The reference table is usually found in the appendices of the research work. The data analysis is a procedure wherein the resolution of the information takes place by application of statistical principles. It involves the employment of any statistical method and the choice of which depends largely upon the objectives of the research problem. After the analysis of data has been undertaken, the results can be explained and interpreted. The findings of the study will then be compared to the existing theories and earlier researches or studies in a particular field.

13. Activity 1.1 Consider the following research situations then specify the appropriate or the best manner of gathering data whether interview, questionnaire, experiment, observation, test, etc. ________ 1. Job Satisfaction of Public School Teachers ________ 2. Emotionally Disturbed Grade School Children ________ 3. Sexually Harassed Adolescents ________ 4. Effect of Modularized Instruction to Graduate Students’ Academic Performance. ________ 5. Profile of the Faculty in Catholic Schools ________ 6. Factors Affecting the Performance of Staff Nurses in the Rural Areas ________ 7. Comparative Study on the Various Instructional Strategies Applied to Handicapped Learners

14. _____ 8. Diagnosing the Needs of Adult Learners in Tertiary Level _____ 9. Development of Instructional Materials in Hydraulics. _____ 10. The Management Practices of Private School Principals in Region XII

15. LESSON 1. 2 BRIEF HISTORICAL VELOPMENTS OF STATISTICS In the ancient times, statistics was utilized to provide information that pertains to activities that include farming, collection of taxes, number of soldiers in a particular nation, number of events that occurred in a particular period of time, agricultural crops and even in athletic endeavors of man. The employment of statistics was later developed into an inferential science sometimes in the sixteenth century. As an inferential science, it largely depended on the theory of probability. The development continued through the researches made by the people in various fields during the past 400 years/ The inclination of man into gambling led to the development of the probability theory . During those times, the gamblers asked help from the mathematicians to teach them the techniques on how to win the games. The requests for such techniques were considered

16. by some mathematics among them were Pascal, Leibnitz, and James Bernoulli. It is very interesting to note along this line that according to some winners of the Lotto game, the chances of winning is attributed to the application of their knowledge of probability and statistics . In relation the historical development of statistics, De Moivre (1773) discovered the equation for the normal distribution . The discovery of the said equation became the basis of the development in many theories of inferential statistics. The normal distribution which is a bell-shaped distribution was also referred to as the Gaussian distribution . It was during this time that the work of Laplace became so popular because of the application of statistics to astronomy.

17. Another significant event in the development of statistics occurred when a Belgian statistician named Adolph Quetelet (1796-1874) made an application of statistics in the field of psychology and education. He was considered to be the first statistician to demonstrate the statistical techniques derived in one area of research and applied to other areas. Another statistician who contributed his knowledge of statistics in the field of social sciences was Sir Francis Galton (1822-1911). The application of statistics to heredity and eugenics was probably the most notable contribution of Galton to the development of statistics. He also discovered the computation of percentiles . Along with Galton was Karl Pearson (1857-1936) who exerted efforts and cooperated with Galton in developing the theory of correlation and regression. While Pearson was probably responsible for evolving the theories of sampling at present.

18. Finally, at the rise of the twentieth century, William S. Gosset developed method for decision-making derived from smaller sets of data. Gosset worked in a brewery. He made a study and published its results under the name “student.” He disguised his real name because the brewery company which is owned by an Irish prohibited research since results of the study might prove useful to its competitors. The idea of Gosset was continued by another statistician named Sir Ronald Fisher (1890-1962) who was responsible for developing science of statistics for experimental designs.

21. What is a population ? The term population refers to the aggregates of things, objects, people, events, etc. This could be population of students, engineers, accountants, school administrators, etc. In the research, the concern is to look at the properties of the aggregate or group rather than the characteristic of each member. What is a constant ? The word constant refers to a property whereby the members of a particular sample or aggregate do not differ from one another, For instance, a particular sex, say male, is a constant because the members do not differ. What is a variable? The variable refers to a property whereby the members of an aggregate differ from one another. Thus, members of the group may vary or differ in the color of eyes, height, weight, civil status, etc.

23. 3. Interval variable: This refers to a property or characteristic defined by an operation which allows making of statements of equality rather than statements of greater than or less that and sameness or difference. An interval variable does not have a “true” zero point. 4. Ratio variable: This refers to a property defined by an operation which allows making of statement or equality and ratios. This means that one value may be thought of as five times another, triple of a certain number, and so on. The measurements in the ratio variable are made from an arbitrary zero point.

24. Activity 1.3 A. Identify the concept: write your answer on the blank before the number. ______ 1. The aggregates of objects, events, people, etc. ______ 2. The representative of an aggregate of handicapped learners in the tertiary level. ______ 3. It refers to a property or trait whereby the members of the group do not differ from one another. ______ 4. It refers to a characteristic or property whereby the members of a group vary of differ from one another. ______ 5. The level of measurement wherein the property of members in a group are considered in terms of sameness or difference. ______ 6. The scale of measurement of a variable wherein the characteristics or property of members in a particular aggregate say individuals are ranked.

25. B. Write the level of measurement that corresponds to the variable in each item. Write your answer on the blank before each number. ______ 7. Second born and fifth born child in a family. ______ 8. Frequencies pf passing and failing the course in research. ______ 9. Performance of 50 students in Statistics test. ______ 10. Socio-economic status of 30 subjects in a class. LESSON 1.4 THE USES OF STATISTICS Statistics has an indespensable role particularly in the field of research. It enables a researcher to make a flawless and accurate statement of judgment about a relationship of two or more variables. For instance, describing the academic performance of the students in terms of the computed mean, standard deviation, correlation in relation with another factor of academic performance results. Thus, statistics can be utilized to give a precise description of data.

26. In an educational research, the academic performance can be predicted through the result of an entrance tests such as aptitude test, personality test, etc. An instructor’s work performance can also be predicted through the results of teacher inventory test. In this light, statistics is useful in predicting the behavior of individuals. In order to determine the relationship between two or more variables, an appropriate statistical measure must be utilized. For instance, a correlational study may employ statistical measures such as t-test, chi-square test, F-test, and others. With this purpose, statistics can be used to test a hypothesis.

29. 4. _________________ is the resolution of information into simpler elements by the application of statistical principles. 5. The most notable contribution of Sir Francis Galton to the development of statistics was the application of statistics to heredity and eugenics and his discoveries by ________. 6. The equation for the normal distribution was discovered by _____ 7. ____ refers to the groups or aggregates of people, events, materials, etc. of any form. 8. ________ refers to a property whereby the members of a group or aggregate do not differ from one another. 9. The measures of the population are called ______________ 10. ________ refers to the properties or characteristics whereby the members of the group or aggregate vary or differ from one another.

32. ORGANIZING THE DATA Introduction: The collection of data entails a serious effort on the researcher. In doing so, the researcher must have good foresight, careful planning, and systematic organization of activities. The completion of data collection is not the end of the researcher’s task. The data must be analyzed using appropriate statistical tool or treatment. From the analysis of data, results will be obtained and test of hypotheses will be done. This module introduces the concepts of frequency, frequency, distribution, midpoint, class interval, proportion and percentage, cumulative percentage, raw data, etc. A clearer understanding of these concepts will enable researchers to construct frequency distribution for the different levels of measurement.