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    How To Choose The Correct Statistical Test

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    TheGimhan123
    This document provides an overview of choosing the appropriate statistical test based on the research question, level of measurement of variables, and distribution of data. Key points covered include identifying if the research question is asking about a difference between groups, determining if variables are nominal, ordinal, interval or ratio, and whether the data are normally or non-normally distributed to decide between parametric or non-parametric tests such as the t-test, Mann-Whitney U test, ANOVA, or chi-square test. Examples are given comparing use of the t-test for a normal distribution versus the Mann-Whitney U test for non-normal data to analyze differences between two independent groups.

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    How To Choose The Correct Statistical Test

    Uploaded by

    TheGimhan123
    78 views51 pages
    This document provides an overview of choosing the appropriate statistical test based on the research question, level of measurement of variables, and distribution of data. Key points covered include identifying if the research question is asking about a difference between groups, determining if variables are nominal, ordinal, interval or ratio, and whether the data are normally or non-normally distributed to decide between parametric or non-parametric tests such as the t-test, Mann-Whitney U test, ANOVA, or chi-square test. Examples are given comparing use of the t-test for a normal distribution versus the Mann-Whitney U test for non-normal data to analyze differences between two independent groups.

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    How to Choose the Correct Statistical Test

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    This document provides an overview of choosing the appropriate statistical test based on the research question, level of measurement of variables, and distribution of data. Key points covered include identifying if the research question is asking about a difference between groups, determining if variables are nominal, ordinal, interval or ratio, and whether the data are normally or non-normally distributed to decide between parametric or non-parametric tests such as the t-test, Mann-Whitney U test, ANOVA, or chi-square test. Examples are given comparing use of the t-test for a normal distribution versus the Mann-Whitney U test for non-normal data to analyze differences between two independent groups.

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as PPTX, PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Download as pptx, pdf, or txt
    78 views51 pages

    How To Choose The Correct Statistical Test

    Uploaded by

    TheGimhan123
    This document provides an overview of choosing the appropriate statistical test based on the research question, level of measurement of variables, and distribution of data. Key points covered include identifying if the research question is asking about a difference between groups, determining if variables are nominal, ordinal, interval or ratio, and whether the data are normally or non-normally distributed to decide between parametric or non-parametric tests such as the t-test, Mann-Whitney U test, ANOVA, or chi-square test. Examples are given comparing use of the t-test for a normal distribution versus the Mann-Whitney U test for non-normal data to analyze differences between two independent groups.

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    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as PPTX, PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Download as pptx, pdf, or txt
    of 51
    At a glance
    Powered by AI
    The document discusses different statistical tests that can be used to analyze data including tests to examine differences and relationships between variables. It explains the concepts of normal vs non-normal distribution and discusses both parametric and non-parametric tests.

    The document discusses different statistical tests to examine differences (t-test, ANOVA, Mann-Whitney U test, Kruskal-Wallis test, chi-square test) and relationships (Pearson's correlation, Spearman's correlation, linear regression, logistic regression).

    Parametric tests assume the data has a normal distribution and include t-test, ANOVA, Pearson's correlation, linear regression and logistic regression. Non-parametric tests do not assume a normal distribution and can be used for non-normal or ordinal data, including Mann-Whitney U, Kruskal-Wallis, Spearman's correlation.

    Quantitative Methods:

    Choosing a statistical test


    Summer School June 2015
    Dr. Tracie Afifi
    Learning Objective
    How to pick the right statistical test
    To pick the correct statistical test you need to know…

    • What your research question asking


    • The level of measurement of the variables
    • The distribution of the data
    Common Statistical Tests
    • T-test • Mann Whitney U
    • ANOVA • Kruskal Wallis Test
    • Chi-Square Test
    • Pearsons Correlation • Spearmans Correlation
    • Linear Regression
    • Logistic Regression
    What is your research question
    asking?
    Choosing a Statistical Test
    Is there a difference?
    • Is there a difference in depression among
    adolescents who are sexually abused
    compared to adolescents who are not sexually
    abused?
    Is there a difference?
    • T-test • Mann Whitney U
    • ANOVA • Kruskal Wallis Test
    • Chi-Square Test
    Is there a difference?
    • T-test • Mann Whitney U
    • ANOVA • Kruskal Wallis Test
    • Chi-Square Test

    But how do you know which one to choose?


    Is there a difference?
    • T-test • Mann Whitney U
    • ANOVA • Kruskal Wallis Test
    • Chi-Square Test

    But how do you know which one to choose?

    What are the variables?


    Is there a difference?
    • T-test • Mann Whitney U
    • ANOVA • Kruskal Wallis Test
    • Chi-Square Test

    But how do you know which one to choose?

    What are the variables?

    How are the variables measured?


    Is there a difference?
    • T-test • Mann Whitney U
    • ANOVA • Kruskal Wallis Test
    • Chi-Square Test

    But how do you know which one to choose?

    What are the variables?

    How are the variables measured?

    What is the distribution of the data?


    What are the Variables?
    • Is there a difference in depression among
    adolescents who are sexually abused
    compared to adolescents who are not sexually
    abused?
    What are the Variables?
    • Is there a difference in depression among
    adolescents who are sexually abused
    compared to adolescents who are not sexually
    abused?

    One Variable is Sexual Abuse One Variable is Depression


    How are the Variables Measured?
    Sexual Abuse Depression
    • Categories (yes or no)
    • Categories (none, minor, moderate, severe)
    • Scores (e.g., 0-10)
    How are the Variables Measured?

    Level of Measurement
    Level of Measurement
    • Nominal
    – Named categories with no order
    • Ordinal
    – Categories with a logical order or rank order
    • Interval
    – Rank order AND distant between intervals of measurement have
    meaning (zero value is arbitrary).
    • Ratio
    – Same properties as interval data AND the distance and ratio between
    two measurements are defined and has an empirical (not arbitrary)
    zero value.
    – You can say a score of 20 is “twice as much” as 10.

    Liamputtong 2013
    Level of Measurement
    Type Description
    Nominal Classes or categories without numerical order
    •Male, female
    •Jewish, Catholic, Muslim
    Ordinal (ranked) Ordered categories
    •Mild pain, moderate pain, and severe pain
    •High school, undergraduate, graduate
    Interval The distance or interval between two
    measurements have meaning
    •Temperature in Celsius (zero = 273.15 Kelvin)
    Ratio The distance and ratio between two
    measurements are defined and zero has a
    meaning of zero and therefore you can say “twice
    as much”
    •Weight
    •Age in years
    •Temperature in Kelvin (absolute zero)
    What is the Distribution of the Data?
    Central Tendency and Dispersion
    • Central tendency
    – Where the bulk of the data lie.
    • Mode, Median, Mean, etc

    • Dispersion
    – How wide or narrow the data are
    spread out.
    • Number of categories, Range, Standard
    Deviation, etc
    Health Research Methods: A Canadian Perspective (2014) Edited by K. Bassil & D. Zabkiewicz; Chapter 7, pp. 119-142
    Central Tendency
    • Mode
    – The value that appears most often
    – (3, 4, 5, 6, 8, 8, 15) Mode = 8

    • Mean
    – The arithmetic average of the observations
    – (3, 4, 5, 6, 8, 8, 15) Mean = 7

    • Median
    – Middle value (3, 4, 5, 6, 8, 8, 15) Median = 6
    Level of Central Tendency Dispersion
    Measurement
    Nominal Mode (most frequent category) Number of categories

    Ordinal Median (data are ranked, middle value with Range and the
    half above and half below) Interquartile range
    (median of upper half
    and median of lower
    half IQR is difference
    between the two)

    Interval Mean (summed and divided by number) Standard Deviation


    (how much each data
    point deviates from the
    mean)

    Ratio Mean (summed and divided by number) Standard Deviation

    Health Research Methods: A Canadian Perspective (2014) Edited by K. Bassil & D. Zabkiewicz; Chapter 7,
    pp. 119-142
    Level of Central Tendency Dispersion
    Measurement
    Nominal Mode (most frequent category) Number of categories

    Ordinal Median (data are ranked, middle value with Range and the
    half above and half below) Interquartile range
    (median of upper half
    and median of lower
    half IQR is difference
    NON-PARAMETERIC TESTS between the two)

    Interval Mean (summed and divided by number) Standard Deviation


    (how much each data
    point deviates from the
    mean)
    PARAMETERIC TESTS

    Ratio Mean (summed and divided by number) Standard Deviation

    Health Research Methods: A Canadian Perspective (2014) Edited by K. Bassil & D. Zabkiewicz; Chapter 7,
    pp. 119-142
    What is the Distribution of the Data?

    Normal Distribution
    Or
    Non-Normal Distribution
    Normal Distribution
    Average Hours of Sleep

    Mean = 7.92
    Std Error = 0.13
    95% CI = 7.68 to 8.18
    Non-Normal Distribution
    Among respondents with babies
    Mean = 5.88
    Std Error = 0.30
    95% CI = 5.27 to 6.49
    Distribution of the Data
    • Parametric test
    – Interval or ratio level data with a NORMAL
    DISTRIBUTION

    • Non-parametric test
    – Nominal or ordinal level data or interval or ratio
    with a NON-NORMAL DISTRIBUTION
    Common Statistical Tests
    Is there a difference?
    Parametric Non-Parametric
    • T-test • Mann Whitney U
    • ANOVA • Kruskal Wallis Test
    • Chi-Square Test
    T-test
    • To test if two means are statistically different?

    – One variable is Continuous (interval or ratio level)


    – One variable is Dichotomous (two categories)

    – Distribution of continuous variable is NORMAL (bell


    curve)
    T-test
    • Is the mean depression score different for
    adolescents who are sexually abused compared
    to adolescents who are non-sexually abused?
    • Sexual abuse = Yes or No (nominal or Dichotomous)
    • Depression = 1 to 10 (interval with higher scores worse
    depression)

    Depression (mean)
    Total Sample 4

    No Sexual abuse 2
    Sexual abuse 8
    What if the Distribution was
    NON-NORMAL?
    – One variable is Continuous (interval or ratio level)
    with a NON-NORMAL DISTRIBUTION

    – One variable is Dichotomous (two categories)


    Mann-Whitney U test
    • A non-parametric test for comparing ordinal ,
    or non-normal continuous level data for two
    independent groups

    • Non-normal distribution
    – One Variable
    • Ordinal or non-normal continuous level
    – One Variable
    • Two-level-categorical, dichotomous

    Bruce, 2008 Quantitative Methods for Health Research, pp. 491-495


    Is there a difference?
    Parametric Non-Parametric
    • T-test • Mann Whitney U
    – Difference in means in two – Difference in medians in two
    groups groups
    Is there a difference?
    • What if you have three groups or more?
    – No sexual abuse, minor sexual abuse, moderate
    sexual abuse, severe sexual abuse?
    ANOVA
    Analysis of Variance

    • Used to compare statistical difference between three or more


    group means

    • ANOVA compares differences across all means at the same time

    • Distribution of the sample means are normal (Parametric)

    – Dependent Variable
    • Continuous (one variable)
    – Independent Variable
    • Categorical (One variable with more than two levels or groups)

    Bruce, (2008); Tabachnick & Fidell (2007); Winston (1999); Liamputtong, 2013
    ANOVA
    • Are the mean depression score different for adolescents who experience
    mild sexual abuse, moderate sexual abuse, or severe sexual abuse?

    – Distribution of depression scores is NORMAL

    • Sexual abuse (Ordinal as none, minor, moderate, severe)


    • Depression (interval ranging 0 to 10)

    Depression (mean)
    Total Sample 4

    No Sexual Abuse 2
    Minor Sexual Abuse 4
    Moderate Sexual Abuse 7
    Severe Sexual Abuse 9
    ANOVA
    • To test if three or means are statistically
    different?

    – One variable is continuous (interval or ratio level)


    with a NORMAL DISTRIBUTION

    – One variable is categorical (three or more categories)


    What if the Distribution was
    NON-NORMAL?

    – One variable is ordinal OR continuous (interval or ratio


    level) with a NON-NORMAL DISTRIBUTION

    – One variable is Categorical (three or more categories)


    Kruskal Wallis Test

    • Median scores from three or more groups


    – One variable = continuous (non-normal) or ordinal
    – One variable = categorical with 3 levels or more
    – An extension of the Mann Whitney U test and the
    non-parametric equivalent to ANOVA.

    Liamputtong, 2013
    Chi-Square Test of Significance (X2)

    • Non-parametric test (Non-normal distribution)

    – One Variable
    • Categorical with 2 or more levels
    – One Variable
    • Categorical with 2 or more levels

    Bruce (2007); Tabachnick & Fidell (2007); Winston (1999)


    Is there a difference?
    Parametric Non-Parametric
    • T-test • Mann Whitney U
    • ANOVA • Kruskal Wallis Test
    • Chi-Square Test
    Is there a relationship?
    • Is there a positive correlation between sexual
    abuse and depression?

    • Is sexual abuse severity associated with


    increased severity of depression?

    • Is sexual abuse associated with increased odds


    of depression?
    Is there a relationship?
    • Is there a positive correlation between sexual
    abuse and depression? Correlation

    • Is sexual abuse severity associated with


    increased severity of depression?
    Linear Regression

    • Is sexual abuse associated with increased odds


    of depression? Logistic Regression
    Is there a relationship?
    Parametric Non-Parametric
    • Pearsons Correlation • Spearmans Correlation
    • Linear Regression
    • Logistic Regression
    Correlation
    Strength of a linear relationship

    Pearson Spearman
    • Distribution of the variables • Distribution of the variables
    are normal (parametric test) are non-normal (non-
    parametric test) OR one or
    more variables are ordinal
    – One Variable
    • Continuous – One Variable
    – One Variable • Continuous/Categorical
    • Continuous – One Variable
    • Continuous/Categorical

    Bruce, 2008 Quantitative Methods for Health Research, pp. 74-78


    Linear Regression
    • Describes how one variable (DV) depends on
    the other variable (IV)

    • Regression estimates the relationship between


    two variables

    – One Dependent Variable


    • Continuous
    – One or more Independent Variables
    • Any level of measurement
    Bruce, 2008 Quantitative Methods for Health Research, pp. 232-255
    Logistic Regression
    • Predicts a dichotomous outcome from one or more
    Independent variables (Odds Ratio)

    • Parametric test (some distribution assumptions apply)

    – One Dependent Variable


    • Dichotomous (two categories)

    – One or More Independent Variables


    • Any level
    Is there a relationship?
    Parametric Test (Normal Distribution) Non-Parametric Test (Non-Normal Distribution)
    Pearsons Correlation Spearmans Correlation
    One variable = continuous One variable = continuous or categorical
    One variable = continuous One variable = continuous or categorical

    Linear Regression
    Dependent variable = continuous (1 variable)
    Independent variable = any level (1 or more)

    Logistic Regression
    Dependent variable = Dichotomous (1 variable)
    Independent variable = any level (1 or more)
    Is there a difference?
    Parametric Test (Normal Distribution) Non-Parametric Test (Non-Normal Distribution)
    T-test (difference in means) Mann Whitney U (difference in Medians)
    One variable = continuous One variable = Continuous or ordinal
    One variable = Dichotomous One variable = dichotomous

    ANOVA Kruskal Wallis Test


    One variable = continuous One variable = continuous or ordinal
    One variable = 3 or more categories One variable = categories or more

    Chi-Square Test
    One variable = 2 or more categories
    One variable = 2 or more categories
    To pick the correct statistical test you need to know…

    • What your research question asking


    • The level of measurement of the variables
    • The distribution of the data

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