STATISTICS

Judith Leano R.N.

Correlation Analysis
Use to measure the degree of linear

relationship or association between two

variables. To determine the nature of the
correlation, a graph of the data is plotted
on a scatter diagram

Correlation Coefficient
Positive

Negative

Negative correlation is present when

Positive correlation is present when

high values in one variable are

associated with high values of
another variable or vice versa.
A perfect positive correlation is

represented by a + 1.00

high values on one variable are

associated with low values of the
other variable or vice versa.
A perfect negative correlation is

represented by a - 1.00

Formula for Pearson r:

Correlation coefficients are

r= n xy (x) (y)
[ nx- (x)] [n
y-(y)]
Where
x = the observed
data for the
independent variable
y = the observed
data for the
dependent variable
n = size of the
sample
r = the degree of
relationship between
x&y

computed, and the most widely

used measure of correlation is the
Pearson Product Moment
Correlation Coefficient or
simply Pearson r. Basic
assumption underlying the use of
the Pearson r,

Linear relationship is present

Level of measurement of the
data for the two variables are
either in interval or ratio scale

To know whether the obtained correlation coefficient is significant, i.e. that

the real correlation exist or that the obtained r is not merely due to
sampling variation, a t test for testing the significance of r could be
used. The formula is as follows:

t =r n-2
1- r
df = n 2
where
r = the obtained Pearson r value
n = sample size

To illustrate the use of Pearson r and t- test for

testing significance, consider the following example.
A study was made to determine the

relationship existing between the grade in

calculus and the grade in Fortran
Computer Language . A random sample of
10 computer students in a certain
university were taken and the following are
the results of the sampling.

Studen
t no.

1
8

2
9

3
10

Calculu
75
83
80
s (x)
86
93
84

77

89

78

92

Fortran
(y)

76

92

81

89

78
89

87
91

78
84

Is the obtained relationship significant at 0.05 level?

Solution: To find the degree of relationship present

between the two variables, x & y, the Pearson r
formula will be used.
Student
no.

xy

75

78

5850

5625

6084

83

87

7221

6889

7569

80

78

6240

6400

6084

77

76

5852

5929

5776

89

92

8188

7921

8464

78

81

6318

6084

6561

92

89

8188

8464

7921

86

89

7654

7396

7921

93

91

8463

8649

8281

10

84

84

7056

7056

7056

x=837

y=845

xy=710
30

x=704
13

y=717
17

Hence,
r= n xy-(x)(y)
[nx-(x) ] [ny(y) ]
= 10 (71030)-(837)(845)
[10(70413)-(837)][10(71717)(845)]
=

710300-707265

[704130-700569][71717714025]
= 3035
(3561)(3145)
= 3035
11199345
= 0.906906226
= 0.91

The degree of relationship existing

between the grade in calculus and

the grade in fortran is very high
poitive correlation, using the range
of values for the interpretation of
the Pearson r. Since the sign of the
obtained r is positive, a direct
relationship is present between the
two variables, i.e. High score in
calculus might also give a high
score in fortran or vice versa.

The degree of linear relationship can be interpreted

through the use of range of values for the Pearson
Product Moment Correlation coefficient as shown below:

Range of Values:

0.90 to 1.00(-0.90 to-1.00) Very high

positive(negative)correlation
0.70 to 0.90(-0.70 to -0.90) High positive (negative)
correlation
0.50 to 0.70(-0.50 to -0.70) Moderate positive
(negative) correlation
0.30 to 0.50(-0.30 to -0.50) Low positive (negative)
correlation
0.00 to 0.30( 0.00 to -0.30) Little, if any correlation

To test the significance of the obtained r value of 0.91, the

test will be used. The following is the procedure for testing
the significance of r
1.
2.
3.
4.

5.

H:p = 0(The population r value is zero or the correlation

is zero
H:p 0 (the correlation is not zero)
= 0.05
Test Statistic:
t = r n-2
1-r
df = n 2
= 10-2=8; C.V. = 2.306
Computation:
t = 0.91 10-2
= 0.91 8
= 6.21
1-r
0.1719

Decision:

Reject H and accept H since /6.21/is

greater than/ 2.306/. Thus, the obtained

relationship is significant at the 0.05 level,
i.e. There exist a real correlation between
the grade in calculus and in fortran.

THANK YOU FOR LISTENING

General Statistics
Ferdinand P. Nocon