Classification
Topic: Economic Data: Census, NSS, Surveys and Statistical Tools · NCERT: Class 11, Ch 3 "Organisation of Data"; Class 11, Ch 4 "Presentation of Data"; Class 11, Ch 8 "Use of Statistical Tools"
Meaning
Classification means arranging raw data into groups or classes by some common feature. Raw data are unorganised and bulky, so it is hard to draw conclusions from them. Classification brings order to them, much as a kabadiwallah sorts junk into paper, plastic and metal. It is the first step in organising data before presenting or analysing them. There are four kinds:
- Chronological classification: by time.
- Spatial classification: by place.
- Qualitative classification: by attribute, meaning a quality that cannot be measured, such as gender or literacy.
- Quantitative classification: by measurable size, such as marks or income.
Example
NCERT's raw data on the monthly food spending of 50 households range from Rs 1,007 to Rs 5,090. Grouping these households into spending classes turns a long list into a short table that is easy to read.
Don't confuse with
- Tabulation: presenting data in rows and columns. Classification is the grouping itself, and a table is one way to show the grouped data.
Related concepts
- Raw data
- Chronological classification
- Spatial classification
- Qualitative classification
- Quantitative classification
- Attribute
- Continuous variable
- Discrete variable
- Frequency
- Frequency distribution