Identifying Hypotheses In a randomized clinical trial of adults with an acute sore throat, 288 were treated with the drug dexamethasone and 102 of them experienced complete resolution; 277 were treated with a placebo and 75 of them experienced complete resolution (based on data from “Effect of Oral Dexamethasone Without Immediate Antibiotics vs Placebo on Acute Sore Throat in Adults,” by Hayward et al., Journal of the American Medical Association). Identify the null and alternative hypotheses corresponding to the claim that patients treated with dexamethasone and patients given a placebo have the same rate of complete resolution.
Table of contents
- 1. Intro to Stats and Collecting Data55m
- 2. Describing Data with Tables and Graphs1h 55m
- 3. Describing Data Numerically1h 45m
- 4. Probability2h 16m
- 5. Binomial Distribution & Discrete Random Variables2h 33m
- 6. Normal Distribution and Continuous Random Variables1h 38m
- 7. Sampling Distributions & Confidence Intervals: Mean1h 53m
- 8. Sampling Distributions & Confidence Intervals: Proportion1h 12m
- 9. Hypothesis Testing for One Sample2h 19m
- 10. Hypothesis Testing for Two Samples3h 26m
- 11. Correlation1h 6m
- 12. Regression1h 35m
- 13. Chi-Square Tests & Goodness of Fit1h 57m
- 14. ANOVA1h 0m
9. Hypothesis Testing for One Sample
Steps in Hypothesis Testing
Problem 11.2.8
Textbook Question
Accuracy of Fingerprint Identifications An experiment was conducted to compare the accuracy of fingerprint experts to the accuracy of novices (based on data from “Identifying Fingerprint Expertise,” by Tangen, Thompson, and McCarthy, Psychological Science, Vol. 22, No. 8). The data in the table are based on trials in which the evaluators were given matching fingerprints. Use a 0.05 significance level to determine whether correct identification is independent of whether the evaluator is an expert or a novice.


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Step 1: Define the null hypothesis (H₀) and the alternative hypothesis (H₁). H₀: Correct identification is independent of whether the evaluator is an expert or a novice. H₁: Correct identification is not independent of whether the evaluator is an expert or a novice.
Step 2: Organize the data into a contingency table. The table is already provided: Rows represent evaluator type (Novice and Expert), and columns represent identification outcome (Correct and Wrong).
Step 3: Calculate the expected frequencies for each cell in the contingency table using the formula: E = (row total × column total) / grand total. For example, calculate the expected frequency for 'Novice-Correct' as: E = ((331 + 113) × (331 + 409)) / (331 + 113 + 409 + 35). Repeat for all cells.
Step 4: Compute the chi-square test statistic using the formula: χ² = Σ((O - E)² / E), where O is the observed frequency and E is the expected frequency. Perform this calculation for each cell in the table and sum the results.
Step 5: Compare the calculated χ² value to the critical value from the chi-square distribution table at a significance level of 0.05 with degrees of freedom df = (number of rows - 1) × (number of columns - 1). If χ² > critical value, reject H₀; otherwise, fail to reject H₀.

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Key Concepts
Here are the essential concepts you must grasp in order to answer the question correctly.
Chi-Square Test of Independence
The Chi-Square Test of Independence is a statistical method used to determine if there is a significant association between two categorical variables. In this context, it helps assess whether the accuracy of fingerprint identification (correct or wrong) is independent of the evaluator's expertise (novice or expert). The test compares observed frequencies in each category to expected frequencies under the assumption of independence.
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Significance Level (α)
The significance level, denoted as α, is the threshold for determining whether a statistical result is significant. In this case, a significance level of 0.05 indicates that there is a 5% risk of concluding that a difference exists when there is none. If the p-value obtained from the Chi-Square test is less than 0.05, we reject the null hypothesis, suggesting that the accuracy of identification is not independent of the evaluator's expertise.
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Step 4: State Conclusion Example 4
Contingency Table
A contingency table is a matrix that displays the frequency distribution of variables, allowing for the analysis of the relationship between them. In this scenario, the table shows the number of correct and wrong identifications made by novices and experts. This format is essential for conducting the Chi-Square Test, as it organizes the data needed to evaluate the independence of the two categorical variables.
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