TLPS - Table 2a and 2b

Posted December 13, 2017

Table 2 – which is divided into Tables 2a and 2b-- is intended to illustrate the example presented in the text of the research who wants to investigate the relation between maturity and academic performance. Specifically, Table 2a compares two different distributions of class grades if there were no difference between younger and older students. In this instance, the distribution of grades for students aged 18-20 is identical to the distribution of grades obtained by students 22 years or older. In both cases, the distribution cluster around the grade C, which was received by 12 students. The next most commonly earned grades were D and B, with 9 students receiving each. Finally, a smaller number of students—5—received either an A or an F. Table 2a reveals that the pattern of academic performance was exactly the same for younger and older students. This suggests that there is no real difference and, therefore, the research would retain the Null Hypothesis. Table 2b, by contrast, compares two different distributions of class grades if there were real differences between younger and older students. In this instance, the students aged 18-20 have a grade distribution that differs from that of the distribution of older students. In this case, 3 of the younger students received Fs, 7 received Ds, 15 received Cs, 11 received Bs, and 4 received As. The distribution of grades for the older students, age 22 years or more, was 1 F, 2 Ds, 10 Cs, 18 Bs, and 9 As. In this case, it is clear that fewer of the older students did poorly in the course and many more earned high grades. The difference between these distributions is so large that it seems implausible that these differences would simply occur by chance. Therefore, the researcher would reject the Null Hypothesis and retain the alternative hypothesis, which states that maturity is associated with better academic performance.