Essential Statistics for Bioscientists

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The earliest use of statistics originated with rulers and governments seeking data on populations and resources to inform decisions about taxes, infrastructure, and military actions. Ideally, comprehensive data collection about a defined group, known as the Population, is desired. This modern equivalent is conducted through censuses or surveys, typically every ten years, gathering information on demographics such as total population, ethnicity, age, and gender. The resulting information is termed population data and can include various conditions, such as diseases or behaviors like smoking. However, obtaining complete population data is often impractical, leading to the use of random samples that represent the population. A sample consists of a defined group of individuals or observations, such as smoking habits from a specific population. To ensure representativeness, samples are selected based on inclusion and exclusion criteria, which outline the characteristics of the sample. For instance, inclusion criteria might specify healthy males aged 20-30, while exclusion criteria would rule out smokers or individuals with certain medical conditions.