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Which statistical test should I use & how do I use it? The independent variable

ID: 3317201 • Letter: W

Question

Which statistical test should I use & how do I use it?

The independent variable is the time of the year separated into 4 seasons. The dependent variable is the avg. number of individuals. The avg. population size of the same group is observed over the course of 3 years (so 12 seasons). I intend to analyze how the time of year (season) affects the avg. pop. size. Which statistical test should I use and how do I use it?

fall spring summer winter Y1 153 254 142 56.4 Y2 19.9 186 151 52.5 Y3 27 49.7 61.3 19

Explanation / Answer

chi-square test for independence. The test is applied when you have two categorical variables from a single population. It is used to determine whether there is a significant association between the two variables.

For example, in an election survey, voters might be classified by gender (male or female) and voting preference (Democrat, Republican, or Independent). We could use a chi-square test for independence to determine whether gender is related to voting preference. The sample problem at the end of the lesson considers this example.

When to Use Chi-Square Test for Independence

The test procedure described in this lesson is appropriate when the following conditions are met:

This approach consists of four steps: (1) state the hypotheses, (2) formulate an analysis plan, (3) analyze sample data, and (4) interpret results.

State the Hypotheses

Suppose that Variable A has r levels, and Variable B has c levels. The null hypothesis states that knowing the level of Variable A does not help you predict the level of Variable B. That is, the variables are independent.

H0: Variable A and Variable B are independent.
Ha: Variable A and Variable B are not independent.

H0: Variable A and Variable B are independent.
Ha: Variable A and Variable B are not independent.