CHI-SQUARE TEST

Adapted by Anne F. Maben from "Statistics for the Social Sciences" by Vicki Sharp the chisquare (I) test is used to determine whether there is a significant difference between the expected frequencies and the observed frequencies in one or more categories. Do the number of individuals or objects that fall in each category differ significantly from the number you would expect? Is this difference between the expected and observed due to sampling error, or is it a real difference?

Chi-Square Test Requirements 1. Quantitative data. 2. One or more categories. 3. Independent observations. 4. Adequate sample size (at least 10). 5. Simple random sample. 6. Data in frequency form. 7. All observations must be used.

The steps in using the chi-square test may be summarized as follows:

Chi-Square Test Summary

I. Write the observed frequencies in column O 2. Figure the expected frequencies and write them in column E. 3. Use the formula to find the chi-square value: 4. Find the df. (N-1) 5. Find the table value (consult the Chi Square Table.) 6. If your chi-square value is equal to or greater than the table value, reject the null hypothesis: differences in your data are not due to chance alone

Formula:

O is the Observed Frequency in each category E is the Expected Frequency in the corresponding category is sum of df is the "degree of freedom" (n-1) X2 is Chi Square Example A drug manufacturing company conducted a survey of customers. The research question is: Is there a significant relationship between packaging preference (size of the bottle purchased) and economic status? There were four packaging sizes: small, medium, large, and jumbo. Economic status was: lower, middle, and upper. The following data was collected. Lower Small Medium Large Jumbo 24 23 18 16 Middle 22 28 27 21 Upper 18 19 29 33

Solution:

1.

The null hypothesis states that there is no significant relationship between packaging preference and economic status. The alternative hypothesis states they are different.

2.

In this case 2 X 3. The dgree of freedom for any countigency table are (row1) (coloums1) in this case (4 1)(3 1) = 6. At alpha 0.05, df = 6 the capital value is 12.59.

3.

Step 1: Lower 24 (18.65) 23 (20.40) 18 (21.56) 16 (20.40) 81 Middle 22 (22.56) 28 (24.68) 27 (26.09) 21 (24.68) 98 Upper 18 (22.80) 19 (24.93) 29 (26.35) 33 (24.93) 99

Small

64

Medium

70

Large

74

Jumbo

70

278

Step 2: Formula: Expected value =

Step 3: Formula:

So,

For the test to be significant at the 0.05 level, given 6 degrees of freedom, the value for has to be at least 12.59 . Therefore we cannot reject the null hypothesis of no significant reletionship between packaging preference and economic status.
2

Chi-square statistic = 9.743 Degrees of freedom = 6 Probability of chance = .1359

Chi Square Formula: