There are 4 questions you must answer to choose an appropriate statistical analysis.
1. What is your Research Question?
2. What is the scale of measurement of the variables used to answer the research question?
3. What is the Design? (between subjects, within subjects, etc.)
4. Are there any data issues? (missing, censored, truncated, etc.)
If you have not already, read about these in more detail.
One of the most common situations in which researchers get stuck with statistics is choosing which statistical methodology is appropriate to analyze their data. If you start by asking the following four questions, you will be able to narrow things down considerably.
Even if you don’t know the implications of your answers, answering these questions will clarify issues for you. It will help you decide what information to seek, and it will make any conversations you have with statistical advisors more efficient and useful.
1. What is your research question? (more…)