Graphs in statistical analysis

Abstract

This chapter is a brief introduction to the applications, strengths and weaknesses of the statistical methods commonly applied in surgical research. In this chapter, the terms and expressions commonly used in medical statistics are defined. The definition of data and methods used in data entry are discussed. Graphical methods for displaying different types of data are also described. The concepts of transformation, sampling and confidence intervals are discussed. Statistical tests commonly used in surgical research are discussed, including correlation, regression and hypothesis testing. Finally, other issues encountered in statistics, including interaction, confounding, jack-knifing and co-linearity, are described. © Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg 2010.