Abstract
Background
Presumably, most statistics professionals use a software program to perform statistical analyses, yet statistics textbooks and classes commonly teach hand calculations.
Objective
This study examined whether, in an undergraduate psychology statistics course, hand calculations related to students' conceptual and applied analysis of variance (ANOVA) literacy.
Method
Quasi-experimentally, we compared 95 students’ mastery of one-factor between- and within-subjects ANOVAs, using the unit quiz and SPSS data analytics lab, between sections which did and did not include hand calculations.
Results
Controlling for GPA, gender, ethnicity, major, age, and math preparation to offset nonrandom assignment to section, eliminating ANOVA hand calculations predicted better performance on the quiz by 8% and on the SPSS lab by 6%.
Conclusion
Shifting instructional focus away from hand calculations could enhance students’ conceptual and practical understanding of one-factor ANOVAs.
Teaching Implications
Given time limitations, instructors might forgo teaching ANOVA hand calculations and focus on conceptual information and software applications.
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Supplementary Material
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