Point Biserial Correlation – provides a measure of the relation between a continuous variable (such as scores in the test)

, and two categorized or dichotomous variable ( such as passed or failed, male or female)

𝑝
𝑟𝑝𝑏= [(x̄1 – x̄0)/ sx ] x [√𝑝𝑞 ] or 𝑟𝑝𝑏= [(x̄1 – x̄ )/ sx ] x [ √𝑞 ]

where = the point biserial coefficient of correlation,

= mean of the scores or values in Group 1, = mean of the scores or values in Group 0.

standard deviation of all the values (combined values from Group 1 and Group 0)

= the mean of all values combined from Group 1 and Group 0.

n1 = number of cases or observations in Group 1, n0 = number of cases or observations in Group 0

p = proportion of cases in Group 1, q = 1 – p , q = proportion of cases in Group 0

∑ 𝑥 2 −(∑ 𝑥)2 ∑𝑥
𝑠𝑥 = √ 𝑛(𝑛−1)
x̄ = 𝑛

n = n1 + n0 , p = n1 / n q = n0 /n or q = 1 – p

test Statistic: t test for point biserial correlation:

with df = n – 2, use t – table for critical value.

Sample Problem, given are the positions of the students as to they agree (1) or disagree (0) on a certain issue and their
scores in the quiz. The teacher wants to know if students’ scores have something to do with their position on the issue. (
If there is a relationship between scores and position on issue)

scores
Student Opinion X
1 0 6
2 1 8
3 0 8
4 0 11
5 1 16
6 0 25
7 0 27
8 0 31
9 1 31
10 0 39
11 0 44
12 1 50
13 1 56
14 1 68
student X1
2 8
n1 = 6 , p = 6/14 = 0.43
5 16
X1 = 38.17
9 31
12 50 x̄1 = 229/6 = 38.17
13 56
14 68
229

student X0 n0 = 8 , q = 8/14 = 0.57 or q = 1 -p q = 1 – 0.43 = 0.57

1 6
X0 = 23.88
3 8
4 11
6 25
7 27
8 31
10 39
11 44

s cores ( X) x^2
1 6 36 𝑠 14(17534)−4202
= 19.48
2 8 64 𝑥 =√ 14(14−1)
3 8 64
4 11 121
5 16 256 x̄ = 420/ 14 = 30
6 25 625
7 27 729
8 31 961
9 31 961
10 39 1521
11 44 1936 38.17−23.88
12 50 2500 𝑟𝑝𝑏 = ( ) √0.43 ∙ 0.57
19.48
13 56 3136 = (0.7336)(0.4951)
14 68 4624
420 17534
= 0.3632 or 0.36

alternative solution :

38.17−30 0.43
𝑟𝑝𝑏 = ∙ √
19.48 0.57

= (0.4194)(0.8685)
= 0.3642 or 0.36

𝑛−2
Test Statistic : t = 𝑟𝑝𝑏 √ 2 with df = 14 – 2 = 12
1−(𝑟𝑝𝑏 )
14−2
t = 0.36 √
1−(0.36)2
t= 0.36 x 3.7131
t = 1.3367
 Critcal value is 2.179 at alpha 0.05 two tailed.
since t = 1.3367 < 2.1.179 thus fail to reject the null hypothesis.

there is no relationship between students’ position on issue and their scores

in the test.