Statist: meaning, definitions and examples

This word is rarely used in modern language and is mostly historical. It refers to a person who collects and compiles statistics. It's not commonly used in contemporary conversations or professional settings.

• In the early 20th century, a statist would often gather data by hand.

A statistician specializes in the mathematical principles of collecting, analyzing, and interpreting data. This role is often found in research settings, where designing experiments and surveys are critical to understand phenomena.

• The statistician helped design the survey to ensure it would yield accurate results.
• As a statistician, her focus is on developing new statistical methods to analyze experimental data.

A data analyst is someone who interprets data to help make business decisions. This role focuses on analyzing existing data to find trends and insights that can inform business strategy.

• The data analyst provided a report showing the increase in sales over the last quarter.
• As a data analyst, she uses various tools like Excel and SQL to interpret the company's data.

A data scientist goes a step further than a data analyst by using advanced techniques such as machine learning, statistical modeling, and programming to predict future trends and solve complex problems. This role requires a deep understanding of a wide range of methodologies and tools.

• The data scientist built a predictive model to forecast customer behavior.
• In his role as a data scientist, he frequently uses Python and R for developing complex algorithms.