Mann Whitney U

AIM: TO BE ABLE TO APPLY THE MANN WHITNEY U TEST

DATA AND EVALUATE ITS EFFECTIVENESS.

What is it?
- a technique that tests if there is a significant difference between the medians of two sets
of data
- it tells us if the differences between data sets are significant or whether they are due to
chance
- it is non parametric (it assumes data is not normally distributed)
- however, it does assume that there is a similar dispersion of both sets of data (you can
check this on a dispersion graph)
Examples:
Is there a significant difference between pebble sizes at an upstream and a downstream site?
Is there a significant difference in traffic flows before and after the new Tesco store was built?
Comparing differences in biodiversity in 2 ecosystems.

When can the test be used?

The test can be used if you want to investigate the differences
between two sets of similar data. Some conditions apply:- you can only compare 2 sets of data, no more than that
- the data must be ordinal (it can be ranked in order)
- you need a minimum of 5 values in each data set
- it is not advisable to use more than 20 values in each data set
as the exercise becomes unwieldy (so only really suitable for
small sets of data)

The Mann Whitney U test starts with a null hypothesis :

There is no significant difference in the medians of the two sets of data.
Once you have calculated the value of U, you then have to compare it to the
critical values. If the value of U is less than or equal to the critical value then
you can reject the null hypothesis and accept that there is a difference in the
2 sets of data.
Strengths

Weaknesses

You can use two data sets that

have different sizes, e.g. one
data set could have 10 values
and the other only 8.
You can state whether the
relationship is significant or if
your results occurred by
chance.
You can see clearly whether
there is a difference in the
median of 2 sets of data
It is fairly easy to convert
original data to ranked form.

It is a lengthy calculation and

prone to human error
It does not explain why the
difference in the two sets of data
occurs.
In ranking the data the range of
raw data is lost.

Mann Whitney U Worked

Example
You conduct a questionnaire survey of homes in the
Heathrow flight path, and also a control population of
homes in South west London.
You ask the question How intrusive is plane noise in
your daily life? to a group of people in each area.
Step 1: Create a null hypothesis (H0)

There is no difference in attitudes

to plane noise between the two
areas

Mann Whitney U Worked

Example
Noise complaints 1 = no complaint
5 = very unhappy

Step 2: Tabulate the results

Homes near airport

Rank

Homes in S W London

Rank

Mann Whitney U Worked

Example
Step 3: Rank the results treating the data as one sample.
Smallest = 1 and so on. If 2 values are the same take an
average.
Homes near airport
Rank
Homes in S W London
Rank
5

Mann Whitney U Worked

Example
Step 4: Calculate the sum of the ranks for each column. Lets call
them Rx and Ry
Homes near airport

Rank (rx)

Homes in S W
London

Rank (ry)

12

5.5

8.5

3.5

8.5

8.5

5.5

1.5

12

3.5

8.5

1.5

12

Total

rx = 67

ry =24

Mann Whitney U Worked

Example
Step 5: The calculations! rx = 67 ry = 24
Ux = NxNy +

Uy = NxNy +

The Mann Whitney U

calculation for sample
y

Nx(Nx + 1)
- rx
2
Ny(Ny + 1)
2

The number
in the
sample

- ry

The sum of
the ranks for
sample x

Mann Whitney U Worked Example

Ux = NxNy +

Step 5: The calculations!

rx = 67 ry = 24
Ux =

Nx(Nx + 1)
2

- rx

Uy = NxNy + Ny(Ny + 1) - r
y
2

Uy =

Mann Whitney U Worked Example

Step 6: Look up the smaller of the 2 values in a 5% significance
table
Ux = 3 Uy = 39

If it is equal to or smaller than the

critical value you can reject H0

Size of smallest
sample (n1)

and accept H1

NB. The difference between Spearmans rank and

Mann Whitney U
Spearmans rank your figure has to exceed the
critical value at the 95% level of significance to reject
the null hypothesis.
Mann Whitney U your figure has to be equal to or
less than the critical value at the 95% significance
level to reject the null hypothesis.

Mann Whitney U Worked Example

Step 7: Interpreting the result

Smallest U value = 3

Critical Value at 0.05 level = 6

The U value is ____________ than the critical value. Therefore we

should __________ the null hypothesis

We can be _____ % certain that our result did/did not occur by

chance and that people living in the Heathrow flight path
are/are not negatively impacted by the airplanes.

NB To check for 99% significance we would have to consult a

different table.

5(a) Interpret the result of the

Mann Whitney U test in Figure 1
- what are the U1 and U2 values? Is the lowest of the 2 higher or lower than
the critical value of 27?
- What is the probability that this has occurred by chance?
- Which hypothesis can be accepted and which rejected?
- If we wanted 99% significance what would we need?

5(b) Suggest why the Mann Whitney U

test is suitable to interpret this set of data
- what type of test is it? What does it assume about the data?
- Can it be used for ordinal data? (data that can be ranked)
- what size data set is it suitable for for?
- what does the test tell us about the relationship between the 2 sets of data?
- What else?

techniques may help in the analysis of

data and increase geographical
understanding
- you need to identify at least 2 statistical tests. (Mann Whitney U,
Spearmans Rank, Chi Squared, measures of central tendancy/dispersion)
- a bit about how they work and measure statistical significance
- how the results of the tests can be tested for statistical significance and
when to accept/reject null hypothesis
- what happens next if result is found not to be statistically significant?
-how have you used statistical tests in your own fieldwork? What did they
show? How did they increase your geographical understanding?