Choosing the Correct Statistical Test

Click to edit Master subtitle style SPSS Workshop

Jaweria Tariq
6/13/12

Introduction
This tutorial is designed to help you

develop a framework for choosing the correct statistic to test your hypothesis. The tutorial begins with a set of questions you should ask when selecting your test. It is followed by demonstrations of the factors that are important to consider when choosing your statistic. Once you understand how to choose among statistics, you should test your knowledge by 6/13/12 the doing

Continued
Presented below are four questions

you should ask and answer when trying to determine which statistical procedure is most appropriate to test your hypothesis.
What are the independent and

dependent variables?
What

is the measurement of variables?

scale of the study

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Independent and Dependent Variables

Before we can begin to choose our

statistical test, we must determine which is the independent and which is the dependent variable in our hypothesis. Our dependent variable is always the phenomenon or behavior that we want to explain or predict. The independent variable represents a predictor or causal variable in the study. In any antecedentconsequent relationship, the 6/13/12 antecedent is the independent

Study
It has been traditional for the man

rather than the woman to receive the check when a couple dines out. A researcher wondered whether this would be true if the woman was clearly in charge, asking for the wine list, questioning the waiter about dishes on the menu, etc. A large random sample of restaurants was selected. One couple was used in all restaurants, but in half the man assumed the traditional 6/13/12 in-charge

Analysis

The behavior that we are trying to explain is the presentation of the check. Did the wait staff give the check to the man or the woman? This would be the dependent variable in the study. The independent variable was manipulated as part of the experimental design. The independent variable was who was in charge during the dinner.
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Scale of Measurement
Once

we have identified the independent and dependent variables, our next step in choosing a statistical test is to identify the scale of measurement of the variables. All of the parametric tests that we have learned to date require an interval or ratio scale of measurement for the dependent variable. Many psychologists also apply parametric tests to variables with an approximately 6/13/12 interval

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Scale of Measurement
Nonparametric statistics are used

when our data are measured on a nominal or ordinal scale of measurement. Chi-square statistics and their modifications (e.g., McNemar Test) are used for nominal data. All other nonparametric statistics are appropriate when data are measured on an ordinal scale of measurement. The nonparametric statistics that we learned in class are 6/13/12 listed below.

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Scale of Measurement
Parametric

statistics are used when our data are measured on approximately interval, interval, or ratio scales of measurement. No distinctions are made among these scales of measurement, although all parametric statistics have assumptions that must be met before proceeding with statistical analysis. The parametric statistics that we learned in class are listed below. This 6/13/12 is not a complete list -- we did not

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 In order to choose among these tests,

we must next determine the number of samples in the study design and the relationship between samples. Once we have reviewed our options, the next step is to consider the study design.

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Scale of Measurement
Let us now return to our study

example and determine the scale of measurement in our study. Study It has been traditional for the man rather than the woman to receive the check when a couple dines out. A researcher wondered whether this would be true if the woman was clearly in charge, asking for the wine 6/13/12 list, questioning the waiter about

Samples/Groups
Number

of Samples Once you have identified the scale of measurement of the dependent variable, you want to determine how many samples or "groups" are in the study design. Designs for which onesample tests (e.g., Z test; t test; Pearson and Spearman correlations; chi-square goodness-of-fit) are appropriate collect only one set or "sample" of data. There must be at 6/13/12 two least

Samples/Groups
One-Sample Tests

It is sometimes difficult to determine from a study description how many samples of data were collected. Typically when the description refers to one type of person from a larger population, the study design uses only one sample. An example would be if we wanted to know whether Emory students are like college students in general. Emory 6/13/12 students are a specific sample from

Samples/Groups
Dependent Variable

With single samples and one dependent variable, the one-sample Z test, the one-sample t test, and the chi-square goodness-of-fit test are the only statistics that can be used. Students sometimes ask, "but don't you have population data too, so you have two sets of data?" Yes and no. Data have to exist or else the population parameters are defined. 6/13/12 But, the researcher does not collect

Samples/Groups
Independent and Dependent

Variables When we have a single sample and independent and dependent variables measured on all subjects, we typically are testing a hypothesis about the association between two variables. The statistics that we have learned to test hypotheses about association include:
chi-square test of independence 6/13/12

Samples/Groups
Multiple Sample Tests

Studies that refer to repeated measurements or pairs of subjects typically collect at least two sets of scores. Studies that refer to specific subgroups in the population also collect two or more samples of data. Once you have determined that the design uses two or more samples or "groups", then you must determine how many 6/13/12 samples or groups are in the design.

Samples/Groups

Dependent Means

Dependent groups refer to some type of association or link in the research design between sets of scores. This usually occurs in one of three conditions -- repeated measures, linked selection, or matching. Repeated measures designs collect data on subjects using 6/13/12

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All

statistical procedures for dependent or correlated groups treat the data as linked, therefore it is very important that you correctly identify dependent groups designs. The statistics that can be used for correlated groups are the McNemar Test (two samples or times of measurement), Wilcoxon t Test (two samples), Dependent Means t Test (two samples), Friedman ANOVA for Ranks (three or more 6/13/12 samples),

Samples/Groups
Independent

Means When there is no subject overlap across groups, we define the groups as independent. Tests of gender differences are a good example of independent groups. We cannot be both male and female at the same time; the groups are completely independent. If you want to determine whether samples are 6/13/12

Samples/Groups
Study It has been traditional for the man rather than the woman to receive the check when a couple dines out. A researcher wondered whether this would be true if the woman was clearly in charge, asking for the wine list, questioning the waiter about dishes on the menu, etc. A large random sample of restaurants was selected. One couple was used in all restaurants, but in half 6/13/12 the man assumed the traditional in-

Samples/Groups
Analysis

In this study, the sample consists of the wait staff at randomly selected restaurants. At each restaurant either the man or the woman assumed the in-charge role. Thus, experimental procedures resulted in two separated samples of subjects -- wait staff serving an "in-charge" man and wait staff serving an "in-charge" woman. Given that a couple was dining 6/13/12 together at each restaurant, these

Assumptions
The

final factor that we need to consider is the set of assumptions of the test. All parametric tests assume that the populations from which samples are drawn have specific characteristics and that samples are drawn under certain conditions. These characteristics and conditions are expressed in the assumptions of the tests. Nonparametric tests make 6/13/12 assumptions about sampling

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