Question: The researcher is working on a proposal to the Grant Foundation in order to fund the experiment. To strengthen the proposal, the researcher wants to include some pilot data to show that the new “innovative” instructional method is superior to the old “traditional” method. The Foundation has a strict policy to not consider proposals which use the sign test. The researcher proposes a stratified design (like that mentioned in part A6) so that the data are matched-pairs. Prior to the experiment the researcher decides to use the Wilcoxon Matched-Pairs test using scores obtained with Instrument II.

The pilot study was implemented over a summer term in which there were 20 students participants. Recognizing that a small sample size will limit power, the researcher decides on an α of 0.10. The pilot study returned the following difference scores.

Is the new method different than the old method? Conduct the Wilcoxon Matched-Pair Test.