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1
Analyzing and Interpreting Data Handout
Assessment Institute
Summer 2005
Remember that although you might like statistics, the people who you will
be reporting the statistics to may not! You always want to keep the
statistics simple to ease interpretation. Also, always include graphical
representations of the results if possible. If you decide to use inferential
statistics, keep in mind that the significance of the test (whether the pvalue is < .05) is a function not only of the magnitude of the effect (i.e.,
difference in means), but also a function of the sample size. You might
obtain statistical significance with a small, negligible effect simply due to
use of a large sample or conversely, you may fail to find statistical
significance for a large effect due to the use of a small sample.
___________________________________________________________________________
Section 3 Confidence Intervals and Effect Sizes
Although it is not typical practice in assessment, I recommend that
instead of or in addition to using inferential tests, that confidence
Statistic
21.31
Mean
95% Confidence Interval
for Mean
Lower Bound
Upper Bound
5% Trimmed Mean
Std. Error
.305
20.71
21.92
21.53
Median
22.00
Variance
9.795
Std. Deviation
3.130
Minimum
Maximum
28
Range
23
Interquartile Range
3.00
Skewness
Kurtosis
-2.061
.236
8.797
.467
Histogram
40
30
Frequency
20
10
Std. Dev = 3.13
Mean = 21.3
N = 105.00
0
5.0
Let us now compare the kwhtots05 score for students who have
completed their course requirement vs. those who havent. The syntax for
this comparison is below.
Means Tables = kwhtot05 by numwell
/cells count mean stddev min max skew kurt semean.
Requirement Completed
94
Mean
21.18
21.33
21.31
Std. Deviation
3.130
Total
105
2.601
3.197
Minimum
16
Maximum
25
28
28
Skewness
-.493
-2.148
-2.061
Kurtosis
.106
9.105
8.797
Std. Error of
Mean
.784
.330
.305
-.148
-.174
df
103
13.804
Sig. (2-tailed)
.883
.864
-.15
-.15
1.002
.851
Lower
-2.135
-1.975
Upper
1.839
1.679
Sig.
.852
Mean Difference
Std. Error Difference
95% Confidence Interval
of the Difference
KWH Total
Spring 2005
105
Mean
18.82
21.31
Std. Deviation
3.088
3.130
Minimum
Maximum
26
28
Skewness
-1.105
-2.061
4.071
8.797
.301
.305
Kurtosis
Std. Error of
Mean
There is a statistically
significant difference
between students
scores as sophomores
versus when they were
freshmen. Using the
ES_calculator, select ttest(dependent), and
enter in the sample size,
t and correlation
reported in the SPSS
output. The resulting d
Paired Differences
Mean
Std. Deviation
3.976
.388
Lower
-3.26
Upper
-1.73
-6.430
df
104
Sig. (2-tailed)
.000
__________________________________________________________________________________________
_
4.5
4.0
3.5
3.0
2.5
2.0
1.5
1.0
0
10
20
30
Pearson
Correlation
Sig. (2-tailed)
.479**
.000
105
55
Pearson
Correlation
.479**
Sig. (2-tailed)
.000
55
55
N
Personal Wellness Course
Grade
Personal Wellness
Course Grade
N
**. Correlation is significant at the 0.01 level (2-tailed).
There is a positive
relationship between the
two variables that is
considered to be a large
effect. The correlation is
also statistically
significant meaning that
there is a significant
relationship between the
two variables in the
population. The positive
correlation is supporting
KWH Total
Fall 2003
11
KWH Total
Spring 2005
11
Mean
18.18
21.18
Std. Deviation
3.601
2.601
Minimum
14
16
Maximum
26
25
Skewness
1.014
-.493
.771
.106
1.086
.784
Kurtosis
Std. Error of
Mean
Requirement Completed
94
94
Mean
18.89
21.33
Std. Deviation
3.036
3.197
Minimum
Maximum
25
28
Skewness
-1.433
-2.148
5.154
9.105
.313
.330
Kurtosis
Std. Error of
Mean
Lots of
information
here! I
usually
take some
of the
statistics
and create
To create the graph in Excel, open pre post graph.xls from Desktop.
Note how I only entered in the information in the yellow cells.
KWH Total
Fall 2003
KWH Total Fall 2003
Pearson
Correlation
Sig. (2-tailed)
.646
11
Pearson
Correlation
.156
Sig. (2-tailed)
.646
11
11
.185
Pearson
Correlation
Sig. (2-tailed)
.074
94
94
Pearson
Correlation
.185
Sig. (2-tailed)
.074
94
94
N
KWH Total Spring
2005
.156
N
Requirement Completed
11
N
KWH Total Spring
2005
KWH Total
Spring 2005
key4=3.
key5=4.
key6=2.
key7=3.
key8=1.
key9=4.
key10=2.
key31=2.
key32=3.
key33=3.
key34=1.
key35=4.
8. Ask for the statistics that you need to look at the percentage
of students choosing each distractor and their average total
score.
*Distractor analysis commands.
*Make sure to use raw item responses, not scored item responses.
MEANS
TABLES = total by rr1 to rr35
/CELLS NPCT MEAN.
execute.