Let's say we are comparing two variables in a purely descriptive analysis, can there ever be a complete absence of any assumptions of the data?
Over 5 sports team A scores: 9, 7, 4, 6, 8.
Over 5 games sports team B scores: 1, 3, 4, 3, 3.
This I assume is where the descriptive analysis ends, other than to say that both teams drew in game 3. However, anyone analysing this would assume team A to be the better team, and they would be right, yet doesn't this then take this from being descriptive to inferential?
How can analysis be completely without an inference? Maybe it is just that any inference is left to the reader and not pointed out by the researcher, is this what would make something purely descriptive?
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