Statistics & Data

Data are the observations collected in a research project or from another source. They provide the basis for testing hypotheses through statistical analysis. A structured, organized collection of data is called a dataset.

• Microdata are the individual, unit-level observations (e.g., the reported income of each of 100 people).
• Aggregate data are datasets in which those observations have been combined into summaries at a higher level (e.g., a table showing the average income of the 100 people).

Statistics are numerical measures derived from data (either microdata or aggregate data). When presented in tables, graphs, or time series, statistics provide the evidence used to interpret and communicate research findings.