Wilcoxon rank sum large sample example

 

A subject was taught using two different pedagogies. Sample of students from each method then wrote a common exam. These were the results:

 

Method A

70

90

82

64

86

77

84

 

79

82

89

73

81

83

66

Method B

86

78

90

82

65

87

 

 

80

88

95

85

76

94

 

 

No assumptions about the normality of the data were made. Is there any significant difference in average grades between the two pedagogies? Test at a 5% level of significance.

 

Here is the Megastat output:

Wilcoxon - Mann/Whitney Test

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

n

sum of ranks

 

 

 

12

190

 Method B

 

14

161

 Method A

 

26

351

 total

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

162.00

 expected value

 

 

19.44

 standard deviation

 

 

1.41

 z

 

 

 

.1572

 p-value (two-tailed)

 

It should be noted that there is a bug in the Megastat macro. The correct Z value is (190 – 162)/19.44 = 1.44.