• Category
  • >Statistics

An Overview of Descriptive Analysis

  • Ayush Singh Rawat
  • Mar 31, 2021
An Overview of Descriptive Analysis title banner

Nowadays, Big Data and Data Science have become high volume keywords. They tend to become extensively researched and this makes this data to be processed and studied with scrutiny. One of the techniques to analyse this data is Descriptive Analysis.

 

This data needs to be analysed to provide great insights and influential trends that allows the next batch of content to be made in accordance to the general population’s liking or dis-liking.

 

 

Introduction

 

The conversion of raw data into a form that will make it easy to understand & interpret, ie., rearranging, ordering, and manipulating data to provide insightful information about the provided data.

 

Descriptive Analysis is the type of analysis of data that helps describe, show or summarize data points in a constructive way such that patterns might emerge that fulfill every condition of the data.

 

It is one of the most important steps for conducting statistical data analysis. It gives you a conclusion of the distribution of your data, helps you detect typos and outliers, and enables you to identify similarities among variables, thus making you ready for conducting further statistical analyses.   

 

 

Techniques for Descriptive Analysis

 

Data aggregation and data mining are two techniques used in descriptive analysis to churn out historical data. In Data aggregation, data is first collected and then sorted in order to make the datasets more manageable.

 

  1. Descriptive techniques often include constructing tables of quantiles and means, methods of dispersion such as variance or standard deviation, and cross-tabulations or "crosstabs" that can be used to carry out many disparate hypotheses. These hypotheses often highlight differences among subgroups.

 

  1. Measures like segregation, discrimination, and inequality are studied using specialised descriptive techniques. Discrimination is measured with the help of audit studies or decomposition methods. More segregation on the basis of type or inequality of outcomes need not be wholly good or bad in itself, but it is often considered a marker of unjust social processes; accurate measurement of the different steps across space and time is a prerequisite to understanding these processes.

 

  1. A table of means by subgroup is used to show important differences across subgroups, which mostly results in inference and conclusions being made. When we notice a gap in earnings, for example, we naturally tend to extrapolate reasons for those patterns complying. 

 

But this also enters the province of measuring impacts which requires the use of different techniques. Often, random variation causes difference in means, and statistical inference is required to determine whether observed differences could happen merely due to chance.

 

  1. A crosstab or two-way tabulation is supposed to show the proportions of components with unique values for each of two variables available, or cell proportions. For example, we might tabulate the proportion of the population that has a high school degree and also receives food or cash assistance, meaning a crosstab of education versus receipt of assistance is supposed to be made. 

 

Then we might also want to examine row proportions, or the fractions in each education group who receive food or cash assistance, perhaps seeing assistance levels dip extraordinarily at higher education levels.

 

Column proportions can also be examined, for the fraction of population with different levels of education, but this is the opposite from any causal effects. We might come across a surprisingly high number or proportion of recipients with a college education, but this might be a result of larger numbers of people being college graduates than people who have less than a high school degree.

 

(Must check: 4 Types of Data in Statistics)

 

 

Types of Descriptive Analysis

 

Descriptive analysis can be categorized into four types which are measures of frequency, central tendency, dispersion or variation, and position. These methods are optimal for a single variable at a time.


the photo represents the different types of Descriptive analysis techniques, namely; Measures of frequency, measures of central tendency, measures of dispersion, measures of position, contingency tables and scatter plots.

Different types of Descriptive Analysis


  1. Measures of Frequency

 

In descriptive analysis, it’s essential to know how frequently a certain event or response is likely to occur. This is the prime purpose of measures of frequency to make like a count or percent. 

 

For example, consider a survey where 500 participants are asked about their favourite IPL team. A list of 500 responses would be difficult to consume and accommodate, but the data can be made much more accessible by measuring how many times a certain IPL team was selected.

 

 

  1. Measures of Central Tendency

 

In descriptive analysis, it’s also important to find out the Central (or average) Tendency or response. Central tendency is measured with the use of three averages — mean, median, and mode. As an example, consider a survey in which the weight of 1,000 people is measured. In this case, the mean average would be an excellent descriptive metric to measure mid-values.

 

 

  1. Measures of Dispersion

 

Sometimes, it is important to know how data is divided across a range. To elaborate this, consider the average weight in a sample of two people. If both individuals are 60 kilos, the average weight will be 60 kg. However, if one individual is 50 kg and the other is 70 kg, the average weight is still 60 kg. Measures of dispersion like range or standard deviation can be employed to measure this kind of distribution.

 

  1. Measures of Position

 

Descriptive analysis also involves identifying the position of a single value or its response in relation to others. Measures like percentiles and quartiles become very useful in this area of expertise.

 

Apart from it, if you’ve collected data on multiple variables, you can use the Bivariate or Multivariate descriptive statistics to study whether there are relationships between them.

 

In bivariate analysis, you simultaneously study the frequency and variability of two different variables to see if they seem to have a pattern and vary together. You can also test and compare the central tendency of the two variables before carrying out further types of statistical analysis.

 

Multivariate analysis is the same as bivariate analysis but it is carried out for more than two variables. Following 2 methods are for bivariate analysis.

 

  1. Contingency table

 

In a contingency table, each cell represents the combination of the two variables. Naturally, an independent variable (e.g., gender) is listed along the vertical axis and a dependent one is tallied along the horizontal axis (e.g., activities). You need to read “across” the table to witness how the two variables i.e. independent and dependent variables relate to each other.


 

Group

0–4

5–8

9–12

13–16

17+

Men

33

68

37

23

22

Women

36

48

44

83

25

A table showing a tally of different gender with number of activities


  1. Scatter plots

 

A scatter plot is a chart that enables you to see the relationship between two or three different variables. It’s a visual rendition of the strength of a relationship.

 

In a scatter plot, you are supposed to plot one variable along the x-axis and another one along the y-axis. Each data point is denoted by a point in the chart.


the photo is a scatter plot representation for the different hours of sleep a person needs to acquire by the different age in his lifespan

The scatter plot shows the hours of sleep needed per day by age,Source


(Recommend Blog: Introduction to Bayesian Statistics)

 

 

Advantages of Descriptive Analysis

 

  • High degree of objectivity and neutrality of the researchers are one of the main advantages of Descriptive Analysis. The reason why researchers need to be extra vigilant is because descriptive analysis shows different characteristics of the data extracted and if the data doesn’t match with the trends then it will lead to major dumping of data.

 

  • Descriptive analysis is considered to be more vast than other quantitative methods and provide a broader picture of an event or phenomenon. It can use any number of variables or even a single number of variables to conduct a descriptive research. 

 

  • This type of analysis is considered as a better method for collecting information that describes relationships as natural and exhibits the world as it exists. This reason makes this analysis very real and close to humanity as all the trends are made after research about the real-life behaviour of the data.

 

  • It is considered useful for identifying variables and new hypotheses which can be further analyzed through experimental and inferential studies. It is considered useful because the margin for error is very less as we are taking the trends straight from the data properties.

 

  • This type of study gives the researcher the flexibility to use both quantitative and qualitative data in order to discover the properties of the population.

 

For example, researchers can use both case study which is a qualitative analysis and correlation analysis to describe a phenomena in its own way. Using the case studies for describing people, events, institutions enables the researcher to understand the behavior and pattern of the concerned set to its maximum potential. 

 

  • In the case of surveys which consist of one of the main types of Descriptive Analysis, the researcher tends to gather data points from a relatively large number of samples unlike experimental studies that generally need smaller samples.

 

This is an out and out advantage of the survey method over other descriptive methods that it enables researchers to study larger groups of individuals with ease. If the surveys are properly administered, it gives a broader and neater description of the unit under research.

 

(Also check: Importance of Statistics for Data Science)

Latest Comments

  • williambonner2477d4c52cc72e04154

    Jun 11, 2025

    Hi, I want to thank the Members of this Forum, you guys have been a great help to my credit journey. A few years ago, I messed up my credit. I had a few charge offs from Discover bank, Capital one bank, and Chase bank. After a month with PINNACLE CREDIT SPECIALIST, I was able to get all 3 charge offs removed. Now I have started to build my credit with a clean slate. Back in April 2025 I was approved for a US bank secured credit card with a $5,000 limit. I recently got a pre-approval from capital one for savor, this morning I took the offer and was instantly approved for the $5,000 limit. My current score is Experian 782 TransUnion 746 EQUIFAX 764 these are fico scores. I currently have no late payments, no charge offs and no collections or public records. My current utilization is at 6.4%. Also, I can’t seem to understand why my EQUIFAX score is so low compared to other credit agencies. Pinnacle Credit Specialist has done it for me, and I want the world to know about him. Contact him via: PINNACLECREDITSPECIALIST@GMAIL.COM or call +1 (409) 331-2269

  • michellefreed209a0258a69b024d2d

    Jun 14, 2025

    I needed help I was involved in an accident on December 1st and I had to pay the medical bill by Jan 1st and my lawyer was handling all of the process and my medical bills and all that, my lawyer ensured that she will file the medical bills form by herself, and now when I check my credit score I have a collection on it for that hospital bill and it has dropped my scores to 569. I was so fucking pissed out, that motherfucking bill fucked me over. I read about PINNACLE CREDIT SPECIALIST on this platform, and I took the risk because I was scared of trusting a huge amount of money and my personal information to a total stranger, but I decided to give him a try. I’m marveled by the results I got afterwards. They deleted the medical bills from my report including other negative items and late payments. I now have an excellent score of EQ 801, EX 809 and TU 811. All this happened within 6 days. Contact: PINNACLECREDITSPECIALIST@GMAIL.COM or call +1 (409) 331-2269.

  • Gillian Bayford

    Jun 16, 2025

    I want to use this medium to share my incredible manifesting with Dr. Kachi, who truly changed my life. For a long time, I struggled with homelessness after losing my job as a nurse. Life felt like an endless battle, and I spent many years trying to win the lottery, hoping for a better future. But despite my efforts, I had no success and was growing increasingly frustrated. That was until I came across an amazing testimony from a woman named Natasha, who shared how Dr. Kachi helped her win the National EuroMillions jackpot. I had always loved playing EuroMillions, but winning seemed impossible for me. However, after seeing Natasha's story, I decided to reach out to Dr. Kachi prepared a special spell to help me with guaranteed lucky numbers. Within 24 hours, he provided me with the winning numbers and instructed me to play. To my amazement, I won £184.656 million in the EuroMillions! Thanks to Dr. Kachi, my life has been transformed, and my financial situation has changed for the better. I will never forget this joyful moment, as it has been the best thing to ever happen to me. If you’re struggling and seeking a way out, never give up. Dr. Kachi can help you, just as he helped me. Keep your faith and take a chance – your life could change too! contact website https://drkachispellcaster.wixsite.com/my-site his email drkachispellcast@gmail.com or his phone text or call number: +1 (209) 893-8075

  • briceladson19d3d1e959b51a4f50

    Jun 18, 2025

    Wonderful Information, I had credit scores of 491 (TransUnion) 519 (Equifax) and 528 (Experian) in March. I applied for a mortgage loan in April and was not approved because of my low FICO scores. I asked a few questions on Reddit about how I get my credit fixed. I got some many recommendations about PINNACLE CREDIT SPECIALIST. So, I contacted him to which he responded swiftly. I explained everything about my credit to him, but I was skeptical about releasing my funds to him which he said he can fix my credit when the job is done, I pay for their services, and I agreed to that. After three days I got a notification from Experian saying Congrats, your FICO Score went up. I quickly logged in to check. This dude raised my scores to 801 (TransUnion), 809 (Equifax) and 811 (Experian). All negative items on my credit report have been removed. No inquiries, no collections. I’m very grateful. I just got higher credit card offers. Pinnacle Credit Specialist is the greatest. Hit him up by email: PINNACLECREDITSPECIALIST@GMAIL.COM or call +1 (409) 331-2269. Don’t forget to mention I Brice referred you to him.

  • Robert Alfred

    Jun 19, 2025

    CRYPTO SCAM RECOVERY SUCCESSFUL – A TESTIMONIAL OF LOST PASSWORD TO YOUR DIGITAL WALLET BACK. My name is Robert Alfred, Am from Australia. I’m sharing my experience in the hope that it helps others who have been victims of crypto scams. A few months ago, I fell victim to a fraudulent crypto investment scheme linked to a broker company. I had invested heavily during a time when Bitcoin prices were rising, thinking it was a good opportunity. Unfortunately, I was scammed out of $120,000 AUD and the broker denied me access to my digital wallet and assets. It was a devastating experience that caused many sleepless nights. Crypto scams are increasingly common and often involve fake trading platforms, phishing attacks, and misleading investment opportunities. In my desperation, a friend from the crypto community recommended Capital Crypto Recovery Service, known for helping victims recover lost or stolen funds. After doing some research and reading multiple positive reviews, I reached out to Capital Crypto Recovery. I provided all the necessary information—wallet addresses, transaction history, and communication logs. Their expert team responded immediately and began investigating. Using advanced blockchain tracking techniques, they were able to trace the stolen Dogecoin, identify the scammer’s wallet, and coordinate with relevant authorities to freeze the funds before they could be moved. Incredibly, within 24 hours, Capital Crypto Recovery successfully recovered the majority of my stolen crypto assets. I was beyond relieved and truly grateful. Their professionalism, transparency, and constant communication throughout the process gave me hope during a very difficult time. If you’ve been a victim of a crypto scam, I highly recommend them with full confidence contacting: 📧 Email: Recovercapital@cyberservices.com 📱 Telegram: @Capitalcryptorecover 📞 Call/Text: +1 (336) 390-6684 🌐 Website: https://recovercapital.wixsite.com/capital-crypto-rec-1

  • lisatancredi259cd36126829e42f7

    Jun 21, 2025

    PINNACLE CREDIT SPECIALIST is the best credit repair service I have used and actually my last. My first impression of their service is a recommendable experience; I wasn't charged an outrageous fee on getting my credit fixed, which is unlike other credit repair companies, a friend recommended this to me when she got her credit fixed within 6 days through them, and I embraced the idea of no outrageous fee. But I got it all thanks to Pinnacle Credit Specialist, before this I went to several credit repair companies but I wasn't able to get my credit fixed not until I found the right one, thanks for existing for people like me, I strongly recommend Pinnacle Credit Specialist. Kindly hit them up by email: pinnaclecreditspecialist@gmail.com or call his phone +1 (409) 331-2269.

  • bradsmitchell543e71845e50b4e9b

    Jun 23, 2025

    I know a real professional hacker who has worked for me once in this past month. He is very good at solving hacking issues. He offers legitimate services such as clearing of bad records online without it being traced backed to you, he helps with the increase of credit scores, he clones and hacks mobile devices, he is also good at crytocurrency recovery, tracks calls and locations as well. He also helps to retrieve social media accounts that have been taken by hackers. He is genuine, reliable and professional and his charges are affordable and safe. Relay all your problems to him and he’ll help you out. He is a master at his field, and you can reach him via the contact details below; Contact by email; Cyberhelpdesk88@gmail.com Telegram: cyberhelpdesk00

  • bradsmitchell543e71845e50b4e9b

    Jun 23, 2025

    Guard Your Digital World With Innovative Tech! Do you require social media access, a phone hack, email breach or website security fix? OR Do you simply wish to recover lost cryto funds, detect/track a location or carry out data alterations? Our Elite cybersecurity services cover everything from result upgrades to clearing debts and fixing credit. For Unparalleled security and reliable results, choose the best in the business. Contact us Today for a secure digital cyberhelpdesk88@gmail.com WhatsApp:‪ +1 (209) 809-0176 Telegram: cyberhelpdesk00

  • bradsmitchell543e71845e50b4e9b

    Jun 23, 2025

    I know a real professional hacker who has worked for me once in this past month. He is very good at solving hacking issues. He offers legitimate services such as clearing of bad records online without it being traced backed to you, he helps with the increase of credit scores, he clones and hacks mobile devices, he is also good at crytocurrency recovery, tracks calls and locations as well. He also helps to retrieve social media accounts that have been taken by hackers. He is genuine, reliable and professional and his charges are affordable and safe. Relay all your problems to him and he’ll help you out. He is a master at his field, and you can reach him via the contact details below; Contact by email; Cyberhelpdesk88@gmail.com Telegram: cyberhelpdesk00

  • Michael Davenport

    Jun 23, 2025

    I was recently scammed out of $53,000 by a fraudulent Bitcoin investment scheme, which added significant stress to my already difficult health issues, as I was also facing cancer surgery expenses. Desperate to recover my funds, I spent hours researching and consulting other victims, which led me to discover the excellent reputation of Capital Crypto Recover, I came across a Google post It was only after spending many hours researching and asking other victims for advice that I discovered Capital Crypto Recovery’s stellar reputation. I decided to contact them because of their successful recovery record and encouraging client testimonials. I had no idea that this would be the pivotal moment in my fight against cryptocurrency theft. Thanks to their expert team, I was able to recover my lost cryptocurrency back. The process was intricate, but Capital Crypto Recovery's commitment to utilizing the latest technology ensured a successful outcome. I highly recommend their services to anyone who has fallen victim to cryptocurrency fraud. For assistance, contact Recovercapital@cyberservices.com Capital Crypto Recover on Telegram OR Call Number +1 (336)390-6684 via email: Capitalcryptorecover@zohomail.com you can visit his website: https://recovercapital.wixsite.com/capital-crypto-rec-1