Selecting and Interpreting Inferential Statistics

This chapter provides flowcharts and tables to help the reader select the appropriate statistics to analyze their data, as well as help them understand and report effect sizes. It focuses on inferential statistics, statistics that make inferences about population values based on the sample data that were collected and analyzed. It helps the reader understand some aspects of their design and data that impact which statistics should be used to answer their research questions. For example, difference inferential statistics , which lead to inferences about the differences between groups or populations, are contrasted with Associational inferential statistics , which lead to inferences about the association or relationship between variables in the population. The flowcharts and tables can be referenced whenever the reader needs to select statistics to answer quantitative research questions.