Question

Statistical Significance and Practical Significance. In Exercises 13–16, determine whether the results appear to have statistical significance, and also determine whether the results appear to have practical significance.

MCAT The Medical College Admissions Test (MCAT) is commonly used as part of the decision-making process for determining which students to accept into medical schools. To test the effectiveness of the Siena MCAT preparation course, 16 students take the MCAT test, then they complete the preparatory course, and then they retake the MCAT test, with the result that the average (mean) score for this group rises from 25 to 30. There is a 0.3% chance of getting those results by chance. Does the course appear to be effective?

Short answer

The results seem to have statistical significance but no practical significance.

Step-by-step solution

Given information

The aim is to test the effectiveness of the Siena MCAT preparation course. The sample number of students who took the MCAT test before the course is 16. After the completion of the course, the average group score rises from 25 to 30.

There is a chance of 0.3% to get the stated results.

Explanation for statistical significance

Statistical significancehelps to conclude about the likelihood of getting sample statistics.

The results appear to have statistical significance.

The research aims to check the effectiveness of a preparatory course whether it helps increase the MCAT score.

For the sample, the chances of increase in scores by 5 points, from 25 to 30, is highly unlikely with reference to the probability of 0.3%.

Thus, the results show statistical significance.

Explanation for practical significance

Practical significancemeans the results are practically useful, and they can be concluded for the entire population.

In this case, the score increased from 25 to 30, that is, an increment of only 5 points occurred after taking the course. The amount of increase doesnot appear to be large enough for concluding the practical significance of the results.