Assignment 2: RA 1: t-Tests

Working with Data in Microsoft Excel

Once again, reading about t-test statistics and descriptive statistics is one thing. Actually using software to compute them requires different skill sets. This assignment is designed to give you the opportunity to practice using Microsoft Excel to compute a t-test and to reinforce your learning of computing descriptive statistics from a previous module. A data set has been presented below for you to use to conduct your analyses. The data set represents the scores from five students who were tested on the same material using three different forms of the test.

• Enter the above data into Microsoft Excel.
• Using Microsoft Excel, compute the mean for each test, each student, and the sample overall.
• Using Microsoft Excel, compute the standard deviation for each test, each student, and the sample overall.
• Using Microsoft Excel, create a correlation table for Test 1, Test 2, and Test 3. Interpret the results.
• Conduct a t-test to see if there is a significant difference in scores between Test 1 and Test 2. Interpret the results.
• Include a printout of your Microsoft Excel computations with your paper submission.
• Explain the concepts of central tendency, variance, standard deviation, correlation, and the difference between the means of two groups.
• Include a description of the computations you conducted on the data provided for this assignment and your interpretation of the results of your computations. What do you know about this data set? What is something that you do not yet know about this data?

Your final product should include the Microsoft Excel computations and a 3- to 5-page Microsoft Word document, utilizing a minimum of three scholarly sources. Make sure you employ proper grammar and spelling and apply current APA standards for writing style to your work.

Use the following headings and subheadings to organize your paper:

• Defining and explaining concepts
  • Central tendency
  • Variance
  • Standard deviation
  • Correlation
  • Difference between two group means
• Computation results
  • Mean
    • Tests
    • Students
    • Overall sample
  • Standard deviation
    • Tests
    • Students
    • Overall sample
  • Correlation for the three tests
  • t-test between Test 1 and Test 2

• Discussion of results
• References
• Appendix (Microsoft Excel printout)