Parametric tests of

significance: student’s t test

By
Dr Ibrahim Ali Kabbash
Professor of Public Health & Community Medicine
Faculty of Medicine – Tanta University
Session ILOs
By the end of this lecture the student will be able to:
1. Understand the principles of t-test?
2. Identify different types of t- tests
3. Interpret results of t- Test.
4. Match the suitable test with the study
 CONTENTS
Introduction
What is Student`s t-test?
Types of t- tests
Independent Samples t Test.
Paired Samples t Test
References
 Student`s t-test
Background:
• Introduced in 1908 by William Sealy Gosset for the quality control
of beer.
• Gosset published his mathematical work under the pseudonym
“Student”.
• It can be used to determine if two sets of data are significantly
different from each other, and is most commonly applied when the
test statistic would follow a normal distribution if the value of a
scaling term in the test statistic were known. We use t-test when the
sample size is small (N<100, (n<30)the usual case)and the population
variance is unknown(the usual case).
The t-test provides information about the results of the comparisons
between the two means. Perhaps the most important element of
reporting the t-test is its significance level. The significance level tells
you if the difference observed between the means was greater than
would be expected by chance (typically p < .05)
 What is t-test ?
 The t test is one type of inferential statistics. It is used to
determine whether there is a significant difference between the
means of two groups.
 t-tests offer an opportunity to compare two groups on scores
such as differences between boys and girls or between children
in different school grades.
 t-tests tell the researcher if the difference between two means is
larger than would be expected by chance (i.e. statistically
significant).
Types of t tests:
1- Single sample t :
Only 1 group; want to test against a hypothetical mean.
2-Independent samples t :
we have 2 means, 2 groups; no relation between groups, e.g.,
people randomly assigned to a single group.
3- Dependent t – (paired t- test) we have two means:
Either same people in both groups, or people are related, e.g.,
husband-wife, left hand-right hand, hospital patient &visitor.
 (A) Independent Samples t Test

The Independent Samples t Test compares the means of two

independent groups in order to determine whether there is
statistical evidence that the associated population means are
significantly different. The Independent Samples t Test is a
parametric test.
• This test is also known as:
- Independent t Test
- Independent Two-sample t Test
- Student t Test
- Two-Sample t Test
- Unpaired t Test
- Unrelated t Test
 Common Uses of the Independent Samples t Test:

-Statistical differences between the means of two groups

-Statistical differences between the means of two interventions
- Statistical differences between the means of two change scores

Note: 1- The Independent Samples t Test can only compare the

means for two (and only two) groups. It cannot make
comparisons among more than two groups.
2-The t-test is based on assumptions of normality and
homogeneity of variance.
Requirements:

• Dependent variable that is continuous (i.e., interval or ratio level)

• Independent variable that is categorical (i.e., two or more groups)
• Comparing the means of 2 groups from a single nominal variable,
using means from an interval variable to see whether the groups
are different.

• Output of a t-test is a “t ” statistic

Independent Samples t Test
There is no relationship between the subjects in each
sample. This means that:
• Subjects in the first group cannot also be in the second
group (mutually exclusive)
• No subject in either group can influence subjects in the
other group
• No group can influence the other group
• “Pooled t-test” is regular t-test, assuming the variances
of the 2 groups are the same
Hypothesis Tests with the t Statistic:
1. State the hypotheses and select a value for α.
(Note: The null hypothesis always states a specific
value for μ.)
2. Locate the critical region.
(Note: You must find the value for df (degree of
freedom) and use the t distribution table.)
3. Calculate the test statistic.
4. Make a decision (Either "reject" or "fail to reject"
the null hypothesis).
Independent Samples t Test hypothesis:
The null hypothesis (H0) and alternative hypothesis (H1) of the
independent samples t test can be expressed in two different
but equivalent ways:
H0: µ1 = µ2 ("the two population means are equal")
H1: µ1 ≠ µ2 ("the two population means are not equal")
OR
H0: µ1 - µ2 = 0 ("the difference between the two population
means is equal to 0")
H1: µ1 - µ2 ≠ 0 ("the difference between the two population
means is not 0")
Independent Samples t Test

Quoted from : Kent state university online literary

 t distribution tables

DF = n-1

For more details on hand calculation

of t-test:
Click here
(B) Paired Samples t- test:
• The Paired Samples t Test compares two means that are from
the same individual, object, or related units. The two means
typically represent two different times (e.g., pre-test and post-
test with an intervention between the two time points) or two
different but related conditions or units (e.g., left and right ears,
twins).
• The purpose of the test: is to determine whether there is
statistical evidence that the mean difference between paired
observations on a particular outcome is significantly different
from zero. The Paired Samples t Test is a parametric test.
Paired Samples t Test
This test is also known as:
• Dependent t Test
• Paired t Test
• Repeated Measures t Test
The variable used in this test is known as:
Dependent variable, or test variable (continuous), measured at
two different times or for two related conditions or units
For example:
 Knee MRI costs at two different hospitals,
 Two tests on the same person before and after training,
 Two blood pressure measurements on the same person using
different equipment.
Common Uses of the paired t Test:
A paired samples t test is used where you run a t test on
dependent samples. Dependent samples are essentially
connected — they are tests on the same person or thing.

• Statistical difference between two time points

• Statistical difference between two conditions
• Statistical difference between two measurements
• Statistical difference between a matched pair
Paired t Test:
• Note: The Paired Samples t Test can only compare the means for
two (and only two) related (paired) units on a continuous
outcome that is normally distributed.
• The Paired Samples t Test is not appropriate for analyses
involving the following:
• 1) unpaired data;
• 2) comparisons between more than two units/groups;
• 3) a continuous outcome that is not normally distributed; and
• 4) an ordinal/ranked outcome.
 Requirements for paired t-test:
Your data must meet the following requirements:
• Dependent variable that is continuous (i.e., interval or ratio
level)
• Note: The paired measurements must be recorded in two
separate variables.
• Related samples/groups (i.e., dependent observations)
• The subjects in each sample, or group, are the same. This means
that the subjects in the first group are also in the second group.
• Random sample of data from the population
• Normal distribution (approximately) of the difference between
the paired values
• No outliers in the difference between the two related groups
Paired t Test hypothesis:
H0: µ1 = µ2 ("the paired population means are equal")
H1: µ1 ≠ µ2 ("the paired population means are not equal")
OR
H0: µ1 - µ2 = 0 ("the difference between the paired population means
is equal to 0")
H1: µ1 - µ2 ≠ 0 ("the difference between the paired population means
is not 0")
where
µ1 is the population mean of variable 1, and
µ2 is the population mean of variable 2.
Paired Samples t Test calculation :
Paired Samples t Test

Quoted from : Kent state university online literary

 Paired Samples t Test calculation (by hand)

Quoted from: T Test (Student’s T-Test): Definition and Examples was last modified: March 31st,
2017 by Andale
Quoted from: T Test (Student’s T-Test): Definition and Examples was last modified: March 31st,
2017 by Andale
When Paired t- test can not be used?
• To compare unpaired means between two groups on a continuous
outcome that is normally distributed, choose the Independent
Samples t Test.
• To compare unpaired means between more than two groups on a
continuous outcome that is normally distributed, choose ANOVA.
• To compare paired means for continuous data that are not
normally distributed, choose the nonparametric Wilcoxon Signed-
Ranks Test.
• To compare paired means for ranked data, choose the
nonparametric Wilcoxon Signed-Ranks Test.
References:
1- Kent State University Libraries. (2017, May 15). SPSS tutorials:
Independent samples t test. Retrieved May 17, 2017, from
http://libguides.library.kent.edu/SPSS/IndependentTTest
2- http://libguides.library.kent.edu/SPSS/PairedSamplestTest
3- http://www.statisticshowto.com/independent-samples-t-test/
4- Michael R. Chernick and Robert H. Friis(2003): Introductory
Biostatistics for the Health Sciences. CH(9).John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
5- Kaplan Lecture Notes Step 1 2016 .Ch(2):Biostatistics.
6- Online t-test calculator:
http://www.mathportal.org/calculators/statistics-calculator/t-test-
calculator.php