Analysis of Variance Example A manager wishes to determine whether the mean times required to complete a certain task differ

for the three levels of employee training. He randomly selected 10 employees with each of the three levels of training (Beginner, Intermediate and Advanced). Do the data provide sufficient evidence to indicate that the mean times required to complete a certain task differ for at least two of the three levels of training? The data is summarized in the table.

Level of Training Advanced Intermediate Beginner

n 10 10 10 24.2 27.1 30.2

s2 21.54 18.64 17.76

Ha: The mean times required to complete a certain task differ for at least two of the three levels of training. Ho: The mean times required to complete a certain task do not differ the three levels of training. ( B = I = A) Assumptions: The samples were drawn independently and randomly from the three populations. The time required to complete the task is normally distributed for each of the three levels of training. The populations have equal variances.

Test Statistic:

RR:

or

Calculations: = 10(24.2 - 27.16...)2 + 10(27.1 - 27.16...)2 + 10(30.2 - 27.16...)2 = 180.066....

= 9(21.54) + 9(18.64) + 9(17.76) = 521.46

Source Treatments Error Total

df 2 27 29

SS 180.067 521.46 702.527

MS 90.033 19.313

F 4.662

Decision: Reject Ho. Conclusion: There is sufficient evidence to indicate that the mean times required to complete a certain task differ for at least two of the three levels of training. Which pairs of means differ? The Bonferroni Test is done for all possible pairs of means.

Decision rule:

Reject Ho, if the

interval

does not contain 0.

c = # of pairs c = p(p-1)/2 = 3(2)/2 = 3

t.0083 = 2.554 (This value is not in the t table; it was obtained from a computer program.) Since t.010 < t.0083 < t.0050 (2.473 < t.0083 < 2.771), use t.005 when using a table. If you reject the null hypothesis when t = 2.771; you will also reject it for t.0083.

There is sufficient evidence to indicate that the mean response time for the advanced level of training is less than the mean response time for the beginning level. There is not sufficient evidence to indicate that the mean response time for the intermediate level differs from the mean response time of either of the other two levels.

Problem: Susan Sound predicts that students will learn most effectively with a constant background sound, as opposed to an unpredictable sound or no sound at all. She randomly divides twenty-four students into three groups of eight. All students study a passage of text for 30 minutes. Those in group 1 study with background sound at a constant volume in the background. Those in group 2 study with noise that changes volume periodically. Those in group 3 study with no sound at all. After studying, all students take a 10 point multiple choice test over the material. Their scores follow:
group 1) constant sound 2) random sound 3) no sound test scores 74686629 55344722 24712155 x32 4 16 49 1 4 1 25 25 2 x3 = 125

x1 x12 x2 x22 x3 7 49 5 25 2 4 16 5 25 4 6 36 3 9 7 8 64 4 16 1 6 36 4 16 2 6 36 7 49 1 2 4 2 4 5 9 81 2 4 5 2 2 x1 = 48 x1 = 322 x2 = 32 x2 = 148 x3 = 27 2 2 (x1) = 2304 (x2) = 1024 (x3)2 = 729 M1 = 6 M2 = 4 M3 = 3.375

= 595 - 477.04 SStotal = 117.96

= 507.13 - 477.04

SSamong = 30.08 SSwithin = 117.96 - 30.08 = 87.88

Source SS df MS F

Among 30.08 2 15.04 3.59 Within 87.88 21 4.18

*(according to the F sig/probability table with df = (2,21) F must be at least 3.4668 to reach p < .05, so F score is statistically significant) Interpretation: Susan can conclude that her hypothesis may be supported. The means are as she predicted, in that the constant music group has the highest score. However, the signficant F only indicates that at least two means are signficantly different from one another, but she can't know which specific mean pairs significantly differ until she conducts a post-hoc analysis (e.g., Tukey's HSD).

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