statisticalize

Statisticalize is a verb meaning to apply statistical methods to data, or to frame a phenomenon in statistical terms. The word combines statistics with the suffix -ize, signaling a transformation into a statistical framework. In practice, to statisticalize a dataset involves coding and quantifying variables, calculating descriptive statistics, and modeling relationships to produce estimates, measures of uncertainty, and tests of significance.

In qualitative research, statisticalization may involve converting coded responses into numerical scales (quantification) and using statistical tools to summarize results. In policy analysis or empirical research, debates are statisticalized when arguments are supported or contested with numeric indicators such as averages, confidence intervals, p-values, or effect sizes.

The term is relatively uncommon outside technical discourse and can be viewed as jargon. Alternatives include analyze statistically, statistically analyze, quantify, or model statistically. Some writers prefer more precise phrasing like "apply statistics to" or "perform statistical analysis."

Limitations and caveats: statisticalization can obscure context if data are not suitable for quantification or if model assumptions are violated. Overreliance on statistics may lead to misinterpretation, conflating correlation with causation, or neglecting qualitative nuances. As with other data transformations, careful attention to measurement validity, sampling bias, and appropriate modeling is essential when statisticalizing a topic.

See also: quantification, statistical thinking, datafication, operationalization.