ANCOVA overview

This page offers structured overviews of one or more selected methods. Add additional methods for comparisons (max. of 3) by clicking on the dropdown button in the right-hand column. To practice with a specific method click the button at the bottom row of the table

ANCOVA	One sample $t$ test for the mean	Goodness of fit test
Independent variables	Independent variable	Independent variable
One or more categorical with independent groups, and one or more quantitative control variables of interval or ratio level (covariates)	None	None
Dependent variable	Dependent variable	Dependent variable
One quantitative of interval or ratio level	One quantitative of interval or ratio level	One categorical with $J$ independent groups ($J \geqslant 2$)
THIS TABLE IS YET TO BE COMPLETED	Null hypothesis	Null hypothesis
-	H₀: $\mu = \mu_0$ Here $\mu$ is the population mean, and $\mu_0$ is the population mean according to the null hypothesis.	H₀: the population proportions in each of the $J$ conditions are $\pi_1$, $\pi_2$, $\ldots$, $\pi_J$ or equivalently H₀: the probability of drawing an observation from condition 1 is $\pi_1$, the probability of drawing an observation from condition 2 is $\pi_2$, $\ldots$, the probability of drawing an observation from condition $J$ is $\pi_J$
n.a.	Alternative hypothesis	Alternative hypothesis
-	H₁ two sided: $\mu \neq \mu_0$ H₁ right sided: $\mu > \mu_0$ H₁ left sided: $\mu < \mu_0$	H₁: the population proportions are not all as specified under the null hypothesis or equivalently H₁: the probabilities of drawing an observation from each of the conditions are not all as specified under the null hypothesis
n.a.	Assumptions	Assumptions
-	Scores are normally distributed in the population Sample is a simple random sample from the population. That is, observations are independent of one another	Sample size is large enough for $X^2$ to be approximately chi-squared distributed. Rule of thumb: all $J$ expected cell counts are 5 or more Sample is a simple random sample from the population. That is, observations are independent of one another
n.a.	Test statistic	Test statistic
-	$t = \dfrac{\bar{y} - \mu_0}{s / \sqrt{N}}$ Here $\bar{y}$ is the sample mean, $\mu_0$ is the population mean according to the null hypothesis, $s$ is the sample standard deviation, and $N$ is the sample size. The denominator $s / \sqrt{N}$ is the standard error of the sampling distribution of $\bar{y}$. The $t$ value indicates how many standard errors $\bar{y}$ is removed from $\mu_0$.	$X^2 = \sum{\frac{(\mbox{observed cell count} - \mbox{expected cell count})^2}{\mbox{expected cell count}}}$ Here the expected cell count for one cell = $N \times \pi_j$, the observed cell count is the observed sample count in that same cell, and the sum is over all $J$ cells.
n.a.	Sampling distribution of $t$ if H₀ were true	Sampling distribution of $X^2$ if H₀ were true
-	$t$ distribution with $N - 1$ degrees of freedom	Approximately the chi-squared distribution with $J - 1$ degrees of freedom
n.a.	Significant?	Significant?
-	Two sided: Check if $t$ observed in sample is at least as extreme as critical value $t^$ or Find two sided $p$ value corresponding to observed $t$ and check if it is equal to or smaller than $\alpha$ Right sided: Check if $t$ observed in sample is equal to or larger than critical value $t^$ or Find right sided $p$ value corresponding to observed $t$ and check if it is equal to or smaller than $\alpha$ Left sided: Check if $t$ observed in sample is equal to or smaller than critical value $t^*$ or Find left sided $p$ value corresponding to observed $t$ and check if it is equal to or smaller than $\alpha$	Check if $X^2$ observed in sample is equal to or larger than critical value $X^{2*}$ or Find $p$ value corresponding to observed $X^2$ and check if it is equal to or smaller than $\alpha$
n.a.	$C\%$ confidence interval for $\mu$	n.a.
-	$\bar{y} \pm t^* \times \dfrac{s}{\sqrt{N}}$ where the critical value $t^$ is the value under the $t_{N-1}$ distribution with the area $C / 100$ between $-t^$ and $t^$ (e.g. $t^$ = 2.086 for a 95% confidence interval when df = 20). The confidence interval for $\mu$ can also be used as significance test.	-
n.a.	Effect size	n.a.
-	Cohen's $d$: Standardized difference between the sample mean and $\mu_0$: $$d = \frac{\bar{y} - \mu_0}{s}$$ Cohen's $d$ indicates how many standard deviations $s$ the sample mean $\bar{y}$ is removed from $\mu_0.$	-
n.a.	Visual representation	n.a.
-		-
n.a.	Example context	Example context
-	Is the average mental health score of office workers different from $\mu_0 = 50$?	Is the proportion of people with a low, moderate, and high social economic status in the population different from $\pi_{low} = 0.2,$ $\pi_{moderate} = 0.6,$ and $\pi_{high} = 0.2$?
n.a.	SPSS	SPSS
-	Analyze > Compare Means > One-Sample T Test... Put your variable in the box below Test Variable(s) Fill in the value for $\mu_0$ in the box next to Test Value	Analyze > Nonparametric Tests > Legacy Dialogs > Chi-square... Put your categorical variable in the box below Test Variable List Fill in the population proportions / probabilities according to $H_0$ in the box below Expected Values. If $H_0$ states that they are all equal, just pick 'All categories equal' (default)
n.a.	Jamovi	Jamovi
-	T-Tests > One Sample T-Test Put your variable in the box below Dependent Variables Under Hypothesis, fill in the value for $\mu_0$ in the box next to Test Value, and select your alternative hypothesis	Frequencies > N Outcomes - $\chi^2$ Goodness of fit Put your categorical variable in the box below Variable Click on Expected Proportions and fill in the population proportions / probabilities according to $H_0$ in the boxes below Ratio. If $H_0$ states that they are all equal, you can leave the ratios equal to the default values (1)
Practice questions	Practice questions	Practice questions

ANCOVA - overview