In
statistics, a
unit of observation is the unit described by the
data that one analyzes. For example, in a study of the
demand for money, the unit of observation might be chosen as the individual, with different observations (
data points) for a given point in time differing as to which individual they refer to; or the unit of observation might be the country, with different observations differing only in regard to the country they refer to. A study may have a differing unit of observation and
unit of analysis: for example, in
community research, the
research design may collect data at the individual level of observation but the
level of analysis might be at the neighborhood level, drawing conclusions on neighborhood characteristics from data collected from individuals. Together, the unit of observation and the
level of analysis define the
population of a research enterprise.