ACTIVITY

Suppose that you wish to compare a new method of teaching reading to "slow learners" to the current standard method. You decide to base this comparison on the results of a reading test given at the end of a learning period of 6 months. Of a random sample of 22 slow learners, 10 are taught by the new method and 12 are taught by the standard method. The results of the reading test at the end of this period are given in the following table.

a. Use the data in the table to estimate the true mean difference between the test scores for the new method and the standard method. use a 95% confidence interval.

• Step 1: Make sure that "Input" menu option is selected.
• Step 2: Click on "Col_1" and replace it with "New Method".
• Step 3: Enter the data for the New Method.
• Step 4: Click on "Col_2" and replace it with "Standard Method".
• Step 5: Enter the data for the Standard Method.
• Step 6: Select the "t test" from menu options.

The output will include: Sample size, Mean difference (New Method - Standard Method), and Standard deviation of the difference followed by 95% confidence interval for the population mean difference.

b. Find a 99% confidence interval by following the steps given below:

• Step 1: Make sure that "Input" menu option is selected.
• Step 2: Click on "Col_1" and replace it with "New Method".
• Step 3: Enter the data for the New Method.
• Step 4: Click on "Col_2" and replace it with "Standard Method".
• Step 5: Enter the data for the Standard Method.
• Step 6: Select the "t test" from menu options.
• Step 7: Click on the "Options" button on the upper right hand side of the window.
• Step 8: Change only Alpha from 5.0 to 1.0.
• Step 9: Click on the "OK" button.

The output will include: Sample size, Mean difference (New Method - Standard Method), and Standard deviation of the difference followed by 99% confidence interval for the population mean difference.

c. By using your answers to a and b, what can you say about the effectiveness of the new method?