The American Statistical Association defines statistics as "the science of learning from data, and of measuring, controlling, and communicating uncertainty; and it thereby provides the navigation essential for controlling the course of scientific and societal advances ( " qtd. in "What is Statistics?" ). Ranging from customer satisfaction to the most extensive research in epidemiology, statistics plays the most pivotal role in these fields. One of the major tasks of statisticians is to collect data. After collecting the data, statisticians try to analyze them. This means, based on the composition of data, statisticians try to know what the data wants to convey. They look for patterns in any set of data, and this will help them to suggest a correlation between a cause and an effect. For instance, the U.S Office of Immigration and Naturalization Services hires a statistician to study about the growth of immigrant communities in the last decadeGiven this, statisticians will collect the data from the immigration services and they will determine the most populous immigrant group. Using many variables, statisticians will explain the increase in the number of immigrant communities. Most interestingly, using the current state of immigrants in the U.S., statisticians can also predict about the future. This part is the most important part, as it deals with interpretation of the given data. Interpretation requires accuracy, as inaccurate data always lead to faulty result.
Statistics is one of those professions that requires strict adherence to shared values and professional ethics. In its Declaration on Professional Ethics, the International Statistical Institute has outlined "respect, professionalism, truthfulness and integrity" as the most important tenet in the field of statistics ("Declaration on Professional Ethics", 2010). Since statisticians often have to analyze data that involve an individual's privacy, it is imperative that they respect privacy of every individuals. For instance, most media have reported that the reliance on food stamps has been steadily increasing since 2001. Most of these media reports are well supported by statistics. While statisticians did draw a general conclusion that the reliance on food stamps has been increasing, they never disclosed the names of those who have been benefitting from those government services. Therefore, it is imperative that statisticians always respect the privacy of every individual, since some of the data information they analyze involve some degree of private information. Furthermore, statisticians should always be professional while analyzing data so that the outcome of any test can be used for the advancement and betterment of society. Statisticians always develop new methods to tackle new challenges, as complex problem keeps emerging in the field of psychology, bioscience, logistics, and many others. There was a time when field surveys used to be the easiest way of conducting surveys, but as new technologies kept emerging in the last two to three decades, phone and email surveys are the most viable method of conducting surveys nowadays.
The International Statistical Institute has clearly narrated the fact that statisticians "produce statistical results using our science and are not influenced by pressure from politicians or funders" ("Declaration on Professional Ethics, 2010). This is very important, given that statisticians have to work under the direction of corporate office or politicians. Given the liberal nature of the Obama administration, it is very important that the Department of Labor's statisticians do not succumb to the interest of the liberals by producing job reports that might aid Obama and the Democrats to stay in power. While avoiding the influence of politicians is one of the cherished shared values amongst statisticians, the other important value also entails that statisticians have to use those measures that are very likely to produce the most accurate result. Accuracy matters the most.
Although the field of statistics was initially used for recording population data, it now operates on a distinct shape. As the advent of globalization moves on, banks are becoming multinational banks and businesses have transformed themselves into multinational businesses. Statistics plays the most important role for these changes, since statisticians use the knowledge of probability and risk analysis to predict the future of banks and businesses. Beside its usage in the field of industry and banking, statistics has been gaining prominence in the field of public health. Public health scientists use statistical methods to design new ways that can stop diseases from killing people. Even in the field of comparative politics, a subfield of political science, statistics is heavily used. Polling agencies rush to statisticians at times of elections. Even sociologists have embraced the methods of statistics to predict societal conditions or changes. Therefore, statistics has been developing into one of the most respected field in the world today.
References
"Declaration on Professional Ethics." International Statistical Institute. 23 July, 2010. Web. 07/14/2013.
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