Spearman’s Rank-Difference Coefficient of Correlation

Thomas W. MacFarland and Jan M. Yates
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Thomas W. MacFarland: Nova Southeastern University, Office of Institutional Effectiveness
Jan M. Yates: Nova Southeastern University, Abraham S. Fischler College of Education

Chapter Chapter 8 in Introduction to Nonparametric Statistics for the Biological Sciences Using R, 2016, pp 249-297 from Springer

Abstract: Abstract Spearman’s Rank-Difference Coefficient of Correlation is often referred to as Spearman’s ρ (i.e., the Greek letter rho). It is common to read how Spearman’s Correlation is often viewed as the nonparametric counterpart to the parametric Pearson’s Correlation. However, that comparison may be somewhat misleading given how Spearman’s is used with nonparametric data, whereas Pearson’s is used with data that are more reasonably viewed as parametric. The key point to Spearman’s Correlation is that this test is used to determine if there is an association between two nonparametric variables. However, as a constant reminder, be sure to recall the often used expression Correlation does not imply causation. There may be a correlation (i.e., association) between Variable X and Variable Y, but by no means does that mean that measures for Variable X either cause or influence measures for Variable Y.

Keywords: Anderson-Darling test; Association; Bag plot; Bar plot (stacked; side-by-side); Box plot; Breakout groups; Code book; Comma-separated values (.csv); Continuous scale; Correlation; Correlation coefficient; Correlation matrix; Density plot; Descriptive statistics; Distribution-free; Factor; Hinge (lower and upper); Histogram; Institutional Review Board (IRB); Interval; Kendall’s tau; Mean; Median; Mode; Nominal; Nonparametric; Normal distribution; Null hypothesis; Ordinal; Outlier; Parametric; Pearson’s product-moment coefficient of correlation; Pearson’s r; Percentile; Probability (p-value); Quantile-Quantile (QQ; Q-Q); Ranking; Regression line; Sample (quota; convenience); Scatter plot; Scatter plot matrix (SPLOM); Spearman’s rank-difference coefficient of correlation; Spearman’s rho; Statistical significance; Trellis graphics; Whisker (lower and upper) (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2016
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DOI: 10.1007/978-3-319-30634-6_8

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