A random sample of 20 statistics students was given 15 multiple-choice questions and 15 open-ended questions-all on the same material. The professor was interested in determining which type of questions the students scored higher. This experiment is an example of:
A) a one sample test of means.
B) a two sample test of means.
C) A paired t-test.
D) a test of proportions.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The experiment compares two sets of scores (multiple-choice and open-ended) from the same group of students, so it is a paired t-test. This test is appropriate for comparing the means of two related samples, which is what is being done here. A one sample test of means would compare the mean score of the entire group to a known population mean, but no such value is given. A two sample test of means would compare the means of two independent groups, but the same students took both types of questions. A test of proportions would be used to compare the proportion of students who answer a certain way between two groups, which is not what is being done here.

A Random Sample of 20 Statistics Students Was Given 15