MA2 Applied Linguistics 2014

Quantitative methods

Mohamed Jabeur
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Lecture Seven

Correlation

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Outline
Introduction
1. Association
2. Correlation
2.1 Positive correlation
2.2 Negative correlation
3. Correlation coefficient
4. Correlation tests
4.1 Pearson’s correlation test
4.2 Spearman’s correlation test
Conclusion
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Introduction
Association

Correlation

Simple regression
Multiple regression
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1. Association
Any relationship between two
measured quantities that
renders them statistically
dependent.

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Two VARIABLES are associated
if some of the variability of one
can be accounted for by the
other.

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2. Correlation
Measure of linear association
A relationship between two variables in which
both variables move in tandem.

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2.1 Positive correlation

One variable decreases, the

other variable also
decreases and vice versa.

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A positive correlation is a
relationship between
two variables such that
their values increase or
decrease together. 
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2.2 Negative correlation
A negative correlation is a
relationship between
two variables such that as the
value of one variable
increases, the other
decreases. 
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3. Correlation coefficient
A quantitative value of the
relationship between two
or more variables.

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Range from .00 to 1.00 in either a
positive or negative direction.

Perfect correlation is 1.00 (either

+1.00 or –1.00)

No relationship at all is .00

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Perfect positive correlation

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Perfect negative correlation

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Examples of negative correlation
Commodity supply & demand.
Pages printed & printer ink
supply.
Education & religiosity
Conservativism & cognitive
ability.
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Neither association
nor correlation
establish causality.
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 4. Correlation tests
Pearson’s correlation
test
Spearman’s rank
correlation test 20
 4.1 Pearson’s correlation test
A statistic measuring the linear relationship
between two variables in a sample & used as an
estimate of the correlation in the whole population,
given by r.

Pearson’s product moment correlation -coefficient.

Named after Karl Pearson (1857-1936), British

mathematician.
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Perfect positive linear c.

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Perfect negative linear c.

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Correlation r = 0

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Correlation r = 0.63

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Correlation r = 0.97

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 4.2 Spearman’s rank correlation
To test the association between
two ranked variables, or one
ranked variable and one
measurement variable.

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 Spearman’s rank correlation
Critical values Pearson.docx

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 Correlation test on Excel
Classeur Excel Lecture 7.xlsx

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