Laboratory Exercise- Statistical Analysis

1) Use the t-Test spreadsheet prepared for this course and perform a 1-tailed t-test on the mouse weight data in the reading assignment on statistical analysis. Turn in a printout of your spreadsheet analysis. The spreadsheet requires Excel or Openoffice. If you do not have Excel or Office installed on your computer, you can download Openoffice for free at http://www.openoffice.org/. To use Openoffice, save the spreadsheet to your computer, start Openoffice and click "Open a document."

2) Perform a t-test on the pH data (the line graph data) to determine if the pH in the morning (1:00 to 11:00 AM) is different than the pH in the afternoon (1:00 PM to 11:00 PM). A 2-tailed test can be done using the t-test spreadsheet by entering a 2 in cell B2 (column B, row 2). Click here for some examples of statistical analysis using a t-test.

a) Explain why this is a 2-tailed test. (See 2-tailed test above.)

b) State the hypothesis being tested for this analysis. Be sure that your hypothesis is for a 2-tailed test. See your answer to the previous question for help with wording.  Click here for more information on constructing a hypothesis.

c) Based on the results of the t-test, do you accept your hypothesis or do you reject your hypothesis? (See Some Examples of Statistical Analysis Using a t-test.)

d) Why did you accept (or reject) your hypothesis? [Hint- You must consult the probability from the t-test before you can answer this question.] (See Some Examples of Statistical Analysis Using a t-test.)

e) Attach a printout of your spreadsheet analysis. Be sure that your analysis is for a 2-tailed test. To make it a 2-tailed test, enter a 2 in cell B2 (column B, row 2).