Statistical inference
The term statistical inference describes statistical techniques that obtain information about a population parameter (or parameters) based on a single random sample from that population.
Muesli bars
In this scenario, we show questions corresponding to estimation and hypothesis testing.
Uncertainty and strength of evidence
When we studied parameter estimation, we saw that a population parameter cannot be determined exactly from a single random sample — there is a 5% chance that a 95% confidence interval will not include the true population parameter.
In a similar way, a single random sample can rarely provide enough information about a population parameter to allow us to be sure whether or not any statement about that parameter will be true. The best we can hope for is an indication of the strength of the evidence against the statement.
The remainder of this chapter explains how this evidence is obtained and reported.