A Correlation Analysis - Simplified Sample

A Correlation Analysis of the Use of English I, GES Results of Years 2013 and 2014 of the Students of Political Science, University of Ibadan

Objectives of the Study

1.      To identify if there is an association between the results of the years under study; and also the degree of association if any.

2.      To ascertain if there is an improvement in the students’ performance or not in 2014 against the penultimate year.

3.      To advise both the two departments of Political Science and GES Programme of the University accordingly.

Hypotheses

H₀        There is no significant association between the results of GES 101 2013 and 2014.

H₁        H₀ is false.

Data Presentation

            The scores of ten students of the Department of Political Science, University of Ibadan were selected from the 2013 result of GES 101, Use of English I at the interval of 7; another set of scores of ten students of Political Science students were selected from the 2014 result of GES 101, Use of English I at the interval of 7 also; and the scores are as follows:

Table 1.

2013	54	49	59	48	51	59	46	66	50	65
2014	64	50	61	51	70	63	48	66	46	65

Source: From the Department of Political Science, University of Ibadan

Data Analysis

Table 2.

           

2013	2014
X	Y	X-Ẍ	Y-Ỹ	(X-Ẍ)2	(Y-Ỹ)2	(X-Ẍ)( Y-Ỹ)
54	64	-4.4	5.6	19.36	31.36	-24.64
49	50	-9.4	-8.4	88.36	70.56	78.76
59	61	0.6	2.6	0.36	6.76	1.56
48	51	-10.4	-7.4	108.16	54.76	76.96
51	70	-7.4	11.6	54.76	134.56	-85.84
59	63	0.6	0.6	0.36	0.36	0.36
46	48	-12.4	-10.4	153.76	108.16	128.96
66	66	7.6	7.6	57.76	57.76	57.76
50	46	-8.4	-12.4	70.56	153.76	104.16
66	65	7.6	6.6	43.56	43.56	50.16
∑X= 584	∑Y= 584	∑ X-Ẍ= -36	∑ Y-Ỹ= -4	∑(X-Ẍ)2= 597	∑(Y-Ỹ)2= 661.6	∑ (X-Ẍ)( Y-Ỹ)= 388.4
Ẍ= 58.4	Ỹ= 58.4

∑(X-Ẍ) (Y-Ỹ)

r = _____________________

                        √∑(X-Ẍ)² (Y-Ỹ)²

                                                                388.4

r = _______________________

√ (597) (661.6)

388.4

r = __________________________

                        24.43 x 25.72

                        388.4

r =___________________________

                        628.3

r=        0.618

Test of Hypotheses

DF = n-2

Where n is the number =10

10-2 = 8

DF = 8

Level of Significance used: 0.05

Calculated Value = 0.618

Critical Value = 0.632

r  _calculated  (8) = 0.618< r _critical = 0.632

Since the Calculated Value is less than Critical Value, H₀ is accepted and H₁ is rejected.

Conclusions

There is no significant association between the results of GES 101 2013 and 2014.

Students’ performance has not improved in 2014 against the 2013 result; going by the average. Even as a student was able to make a distinction in 2014, the average score remained the same.

Recommendations

The department of Political Science should table before the GES Programme department this stagnant condition of students’ performance.

Both of them should use their good offices to find the possible causes of the problem and devise feasible strategies to solving it.

Checklist of possible causes of the problem is hereunder provided. Suffice it to say that they are not exhaustive.

Ø  Time of the GES lectures: Observation showed that students understand lessons in the morning than in the afternoon.

Ø  The Method of Lecture: A good lecture method must carry all the students along. It should be neither too fast nor too slow. It must employ practical examples, demonstrations, exercises, etc.

Ø  The level of knowledge of the lecturer;

Ø  The Personality of the lecturer;

Ø  Attitude of the lecturer towards his duty;

Ø  The ratio of students to a lecturer;

Ø  The learning environment;

Ø  The level of students’ interest.

If expedient actions are taken to solving deficiencies that might be found in any of these above or any other one else, the students’ performance will improve by 2015.