Inferential statistics are used to

• A. Describe data only
• B. Make comparisons and generalize to a population
• C. Evaluate clinical relevance
• D. Compute descriptive measures

Answer: (B)

Inferential statistics use information from a sample to draw conclusions about a larger population. They let you compare groups and determine whether observed differences are likely real or due to chance, and they provide estimates that generalize beyond the observed data (often with confidence intervals and hypothesis tests). For example, in a study comparing two treatments, inferential methods help determine if one treatment truly differs in effect and how this difference would look in the broader population, not just in the sample. Describing the data or calculating simple descriptive measures only summarizes what was observed in the sample and doesn’t extend conclusions to the population.