T-test Example

Rosenthal and Jacobson (1968) informed classroom teachers that some of their students showed
unusual potential for intellectual gains. Eight months later the students identified to teachers as
having potentional for unusual intellectual gains showed significiantly greater gains performance
on a test said to measure IQ than did children who were not so identified. Below are the data for
the students in the first grade:

Table 1: Scores for First Graders

Experimental Comparison

35 2
40 27
12 38
15 31
21 1
14 19
46 1
10 34
28 3
48 1
16 2
30 3
32 2
48 1
31 2
22 1
12 3
39 29
19 37
25 2
Mean = 27.15 11.95
SD = 12.51 14.62

F:\rsm\y520\y520_spr04\week_11\ttest_exp.fm
Formula for T-test for indepentdent groups

X 1 – X2 27.15 – 11.95-
t = --------------------------------
- Substituting our values: t = ------------------------------------
var1 var 2 2 2
----------- + ----------- 12.5 14.6
------------- + -------------
n n 20 20

27.15 – 11.95 15.2 15.2 15.2 15.2

t = ------------------------------------- = -------------------------------------------- = ---------------------------------- = ----------------- = ------------- = 3.54
2 2 156.25 213.45 7.81 + 10.67 18.48 4.298
12.5 14.6 ---------------- + ----------------
------------- + ------------- 20 20
20 20

Our obtained, or calculated t value is 3.54. Our degrees of freedom equals the total group size (40)
minus 2, or 38. Entering a t table with 38 degrees of freedom, we see that for alpha = .05 the
tabled value is 2.03 and for alpha = .01, the tabled value is 2.72.

Our calculated value is larger than the tabled value at alpha = .01, so we reject the null hypothesis
and accept the alternative hypothesis, namely, that the difference in gain scores is likely the result
of the experimental treatment and not the result of chance variation.

The comparison group is considered to be the standard for comparison. This may be the reason
the older adjective, “control” has been replaced by “comparison” when referring to the group that
does not receive the treatment. When the null hypothesis is rejected, an effect size is calculated.
For the t-test, subtract the mean of the comparison group from the mean of the treatment group
and divide the difference by the standard deviation of the comparison group. For this example, the
X 1 – X2 27.15 – 11.95
effect size is calculated as: - = --------------------------------- = 1.04
t = -----------------
14.62
which is considered to be a large effect.
sd 2

/* Spss Code for T-test of indpendent groups */

data list / group 1-1 scr 3-4 .

begin data.
1 35
1 40
1 12
1 15
1 21
1 14
1 46
1 10
1 28

F:\rsm\y520\y520_spr04\week_11\ttest_exp.fm
1 48
1 16
1 30
1 32
1 48
1 31
1 22
1 12
1 39
1 19
1 25
2 2
2 27
2 38
2 31
2 1
2 19
2 1
2 34
2 3
2 1
2 2
2 3
2 2
2 1
2 2
2 1
2 3
2 29
2 37
2 2
end data.

value labels 1 'Treatment' 2 'Comparison' .

t-test groups = group(1,2)

/ variables = scr .

F:\rsm\y520\y520_spr04\week_11\ttest_exp.fm
T-Test
Group Statistics

Std. Error
group N Mean Std. Deviation Mean
scr 1 20 27.15 12.508 2.797
2 20 11.95 14.612 3.267

Independent Samples Test

scr
Equal variances
Equal variances assumed not assumed
Levene's Test for F 1.877
Equality of Variances Sig. .179
t-test for Equality of t 3.534 3.534
Means df 38 37.117
Sig. (2-tailed) .001 .001
Mean Difference
15.200 15.200

Std. Error Difference

4.301 4.301

95% Confidence Interval Lower 6.493 6.486

of the Difference Upper 23.907 23.914

F:\rsm\y520\y520_spr04\week_11\ttest_exp.fm