Inferential Statistics for Social and Behavioural Research

This paper provided an insight to the effective use of inferential statistics for social and behavioural research. As a theoretical paper, it explored the importance of tests of significance emphasizing the need to use the appropriate test for a particular research. It showed that a parametric test is one that involves the estimation of the value of at list one population parameter and the fact that the population is normally distributed. It has also presented the nonparametric tests as distribution-free tests used when the nature of the population distribution from which samples are drawn is assumed not to be normal. It then gave examples of parametric tests a including the t-test, One way analysis of variance and the Pearson r Product Moment Correlation coefficient and the non-parametric tests as including the Chi-square test among others. The writer then gave the advantages and disadvantages of using these tests indicating the implications for future research. It was concluded that the use of appropriate statistical techniques is critical requirement for effective conduct of social and behavioural research.