ERSH6300: SPSS Assignment 3 1

It is thought that if tests prepare students for scenarios that may be encountered on the job,

students are more likely to view tests as being highly related to their career goals. Interested in

determining how the test taking process is related to one's successfulness in a future career, a researcher

interviewed 25 randomly selected undergraduate students. Specifically, the researcher asked about

importance of the test, importance of the information presented class, and personal interest in the area of

study. As seen in Table 1 importance of the information had the greatest variability between minimum

and maximum scores at 11 and 27 respectively with a mean of 19.8 (SD=4.3). Importance of the test had

the lowest overall minimum score at 4 with a maximum score of 18 and a mean of 13.4 (SD=3.3).

Students’ personal interest in the subject area had the least variability between minimum and maximum

scores at 11 and 20 respectively with a mean of 15.3 (SD=2.4).

Table 1

Descriptive Statistics of the Survey Variables

Variable Mean SD Min Q1 Median Q3 Max

Test
13.4 3.3 4 12 14 16 18
Importance

Information
19.8 4.3 11 17 20 23 27
Importance

Personal
15.3 2.4 11 13.5 15 17.5 20
Interest

In an effort to predict importance of the test, the researcher investigated the relationships

between test importance and importance of information presented in class. Based on Figure 1, we see that

there is a positive correlation. Furthermore, Table 2 contains the Pearson correlation coefficient that was

obtained between the test importance and information importance, illustrating a statistically significant

correlation between these variables (r = .79; p<.01). This r value shows a very high, positive correlation.

As such, the researcher concluded that as importance of the information increases, so does importance of

the test. The linear regression conducted to predict the importance of the test from the importance of the

information resulted in an R2 value of .617. This indicates that 62% of the variance of test importance is

Dousay, Tonia March 15, 2010

ERSH6300: SPSS Assignment 3 2

explained by the importance placed on the information presented in class. The regression equation

resulting from this analysis was ŷ = 2.92 + .53(x). As can be seen by the slope (b = .53), the importance of

the test (y) increases by 2.92 points when the importance of the information increases by .53 units.

Figure 1. Correlation scatterplot between Test Importance and Information Importance scores from all

students interviewed.

Table 2

Pearson Correlation, p value, R2 of Test Importance and Information Importance

Test Importance R2
Min
Information Q1
.79 Median
.617
Importance Q3
Max
P value .000

Dousay, Tonia March 15, 2010

ERSH6300: SPSS Assignment 3 3

Continuing the investigation to predict importance of the test, the researcher also investigated the

relationships between test importance and personal interest in the area of study. Figure 2 illustrates

slight positive correlation. Looking closer at the information, Table 2 contains the Pearson correlation

coefficient that was obtained between the test importance and personal interest, indicating a statistically

low correlation between the variables (r = .03; p<.89). This r value shows a very low, positive correlation.

Theoretically, as personal interest increases, so does importance of the test. The linear regression

conducted to predict the importance of the test from personal interest resulted in an R2 value of .001.

This indicates that less than 1% of the variance of test importance is explained by the student’s personal

interest in the area of study. The regression equation resulting from this analysis was ŷ = 12.83 + .04(x).

As can be seen by the slope (b = .04), the importance of the test (y) increases by 12.83 points when the

importance of the information increases by .04 units.

Figure 2. Correlation scatterplot between Test Importance and Information Importance scores from all

students interviewed.

Dousay, Tonia March 15, 2010

ERSH6300: SPSS Assignment 3 4

Table 2

Pearson Correlation, p value, R2 of Test Importance and Information Importance

Test Importance R2
Min
Personal Q1
.03 Median
.001
Interest Q3
Max
P value .89

Dousay, Tonia March 15, 2010