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Peer Review

One-Way ANOVA Calculator, Plus Tukey HSD

Reviewed:
Feb 25, 2022 by Psychology
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Ratings

Overall Rating: 4.5 stars
Content Quality: 5.0 stars
Effectiveness: 4.0 stars
Ease of Use: 4.8 stars
Overview:

This site provides a One-Way ANOVA calculator that allows students to enter raw data and view results. This tool takes as input up to five numerical variables, conducts a one-way ANOVA test, and outputs relevant descriptive and inferential statistics associated with that test. It is hosted on a website with dozens of other similar free statistical tools, along with tutorials and other helpful materials.

Type of Material:

 

Simulation

Recommended Uses:

 

The tool can be used for in-class or homework assignments which require the calculation of one-way ANOVAs. Students can enter raw data for up to five levels of one independent variable. Different data sets can be directly and quickly compared to see the impact of different changes.     

Technical Requirements:

 

None other than Internet access (tested on Google Chrome 96.0.4664.110 and Android).

Identify Major Learning Goals:

 

Students will be able to 1) conduct one-way ANOVA tests to compare samples using this tool; 2) practice interpreting one-way ANOVAs and the Tukey post hoc test.

Target Student Population:

 

College Lower Division, College Upper Division [Undergraduate or graduate students in statistics or social science fields (e.g., psychology) in which one-way ANOVA tests are commonly used]

Prerequisite Knowledge or Skills:

 

  • A basic understanding of one-way ANOVA and its purpose is needed. In addition, familiarity with associated statistical concepts and notation also is required. Other pages on the website offer tutorials and explanations, but this particular tool is just designed for calculating one-way ANOVAs (rather than teaching users what one-way ANOVAs are).

Content Quality

Rating:
Strengths:

 

This tool aims to do a single thing and does it well. It is a no-frills statistical calculator that quickly generates the necessary statistics for comparing groups. Outputs are equivalent to what would be produced by mainstream statistical software such as SPSS or STATA.

  • The site allows one to enter the significance level and raw data for up to five levels of one independent variable.    
  • Steps: Enter raw data and click Calculate for descriptive results, a complete Source Table, and a Tukey HSD post hoc test. 
  • NOTE: The tool includes a link to a repeated-measures one-factor ANOVA calculator.   
Concerns:

None.

Potential Effectiveness as a Teaching Tool

Rating:
Strengths:

 

  • By making different changes to small data sets, students can test the impact on their results.
  • Statistical results are accompanied by textual descriptions of their significance or insignificance, making them easier for novice statisticians to interpret. At the top of the page are links to other pages on the same website with tutorials and other resources for statistical education.
Concerns:

 

  • The post hoc test will be run even when the F is not significant though there is a notation on the site that “there is some disagreement about whether Tukey’s HSD is appropriate if the F-ratio score has not reached significance.” 
  • This tool is designed to calculate one-way ANOVAs, not to teach students about one-way ANOVAs. As such, students would need to already know what one-way ANOVAs are in order to effectively use this tool. 

Ease of Use for Both Students and Faculty

Rating:
Strengths:

 

  • The tool can be run from any browser. 
  • The web form is responsive and limited only by the speed of one's browser. The interface is simple, readable, and intuitive.
Concerns:

 

  • Data must either be entered manually or copied and pasted into the form (there is no option to upload data as a file), which introduces the potential for human error.
  • Tests are limited to a maximum of 300 observations, which may be too small for some samples studied by experimental social scientists.
Other Issues and Comments:

Like any calculator, this tool is there to help users do math rather than to teach math. Combined with instruction on the principles of one-way ANOVAs (perhaps even from other pages on the same website), it would be a very useful tool for budding statisticians and social scientists.

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