Are the statistics from the Associated Press/AOL poll considered descriptive or inferential?

The statistics from the Associated Press/AOL poll are considered descriptive because they summarize and present data collected from a specific sample of the population at a particular point in time. Descriptive statistics are used to describe the main features of a dataset, providing simple summaries about the sample and the measures. For instance, they can include measures such as averages, percentages, and proportions based on the responses collected in the poll.

In contrast, inferential statistics involve making predictions or generalizations about a larger population based on sample data. This typically includes using methods such as hypothesis testing or confidence intervals to estimate population parameters. Therefore, since the poll simply reports the results from the survey of a specific group without making broader conclusions about the entire population, the results are classified as descriptive statistics.