ANOVA Definition
ANOVA (Analysis of Variance) is a statistical tool to test the
homogeneity of different groups based on their differences.
ANOVA is the method of analyzing the variance in a set of data and
dividing the variance into groups according to the sources of those
variations.
ANOVA is based on the principle that the total amount of
differences in a set of data can be divided into two types, the
amount that can be attributed to chance and the other that is
caused due to specific causes.
In a population, ANOVA is used to determine the difference
between the means of the samples by analyzing the variation
within each of the samples, and relative to the variation between
the samples.
While performing ANOVA, two assumptions are made where the
first is that the samples are extracted from a normal population,
and the second is that all factors other than those being tested are
controlled.
One-way ANOVA
One-way ANOVA is a short-cut method where a single factor is
considered, and its effect on the samples is observed.
It is a commonly used technique as it is a more convenient
method.
This method is performed when the means of the samples and/or
the mean of the sample means are non-integer values.
One drawback of one-way ANOVA is that it cannot tell which
specific groups are different from each other but can tell that at
least two groups are different.
In one-way ANOVA, at least three groups are analyzed as a t-test
can be used to determine the difference between two groups.
Thus, instead of the F-test, the t-test can be performed, which
significantly reduces the time and effort. The relation between
ANOVA and t-test can be explained as F=t2.
Two-way ANOVA
The two-way ANOVA technique is used in cases when the given set
of data is classified under two different independent factors.
Here, measurements are taken for each factor separately, and
thus the measurements may or may not repeated values.
The primary purpose of two-way ANOVA is to determine if there is
a relation between the independent factors and the dependent
factor.
This technique helps us to determine if the effect of the
independent factor on the dependent factor is influenced by the
other independent factor or not.
ANOVA Examples
One example of one-way ANOVA is the analysis of the exam
performance of students based on their test anxiety.
One example of the classification of agricultural products on the
basis of different seeds and different fertilizers used. Here, the
agricultural output is the dependent factor, whereas seeds and
fertilizers are independent factors.
Applications
ANOVA is a useful technique for researches in various fields like
economics, biology, education, psychology, sociology, business/
industry, and several other disciplines.
ANOVA can be used in the agricultural field to determine the
relationship between agricultural production and the types of
fertilizers used.
It can also be used to compare the gas mileage given by different
automobiles.
The difference between a one-way and a two-way ANOVA
The only difference between one-way and two-way ANOVA is the number
of independent variables. A one-way ANOVA has one independent variable, while a
two-way ANOVA has two.
One-way ANOVA: Testing the relationship between shoe brand (Nike, Adidas, Saucony,
Hoka) and race finish times in a marathon.
Two-way ANOVA: Testing the relationship between shoe brand (Nike, Adidas,
Saucony, Hoka), runner age group (junior, senior, master’s), and race finishing times in
a marathon.
All ANOVAs are designed to test for differences among three or more groups. If you are
only testing for a difference between two groups, use a t-test instead.
Difference between Anova and T-test
The key difference between ANOVA and T-test is that ANOVA
is applied to test the means of more than two groups. In
contrast, a t-test is only used when the researcher compares
or analyzes two data groups or population samples. Also, in
ANOVA, the dependent variable should be continuous, and
the independent variable should be categorical and have
three or more levels or categories. In the t-test, the
dependent variables should be continuous, and the
independent variable should be categorical and have two
levels. These are some of the significant points explaining
ANOVA vs. t-test.
References and Sources
C.R. Kothari (1990) Research Methodology. Vishwa Prakasan. India.
https://statistics.laerd.com/spss-tutorials/one-way-anova-using-
spss-statistics.php
