Sign Test

• When would you use a sign test?

  When specific criteria apply
• What are the three criteria for using a sign test?

  Difference between two sets, nominal data, related design
• What type of data is required for a sign test?

  Nominal data
• What does nominal data mean?

  Data categorized into distinct groups
• What is a related design in research?

  Both sets of data are related
• What happens after calculating a sign test?

  Compare calculated value with critical value
• What is the purpose of a sign test?

  To determine if results are significant
• How do you convert data to nominal data in a sign test?

  Record higher words recalled as plus or minus
• What does the calculated value S represent in a sign test?

  Less frequent sign from the data
• What is the critical value in a sign test?

  Value to compare with calculated value
• What must the calculated value of S be for significance?

  Equal to or less than the critical value
• What conclusion can be drawn if the calculated value of S is greater than the critical value?

  The difference is not significant
• What are the steps to conduct a sign test?

  1. Convert data to nominal data
  2. Add up pluses and minuses
  3. Find the calculated value (less frequent sign)
  4. Find the critical value from the table
  5. Compare calculated value to critical value
• What is the significance level commonly used in psychology for a sign test?

  • 5% (0.05)
• What should you do if participants recall the same amount in both conditions?

  • Ignore that data
  • Adjust total number of participants (N)
• What does a non-directional hypothesis imply in a sign test?

  • It does not predict the direction of the difference
  • It allows for testing both possibilities