Making the A Priori Procedure Work for Differences Between Means. (February 2020)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Trafimow, David; Wang, Cong; Wang, Tonghui
• Is Part Of: Educational and psychological measurement. Volume 80:Number 1(2020)
• Page Start: 186
• Page End: 198
• Publication Date: 2020-02
• Subjects: a priori procedure -- means -- matched samples -- independent samples; Educational tests and measurements -- Periodicals; Psychological tests -- Periodicals; 151.205
• DOI: 10.1177/0013164419847509
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0013-1644

Abstract

Previous researchers have proposed the a priori procedure, whereby the researcher specifies, prior to data collection, how closely she wishes the sample means to approach corresponding population means, and the degree of confidence of meeting the specification. However, an important limitation of previous research is that researchers sometimes are interested in differences between means, rather than in the means themselves. To address this limitation, we propose additional equations that expand the a priori procedure to handle differences between means, both in matched and in independent samples. Finally, implications are discussed.