Research scenario: In a quasi-experimental study, an experimental group (n=39) using a gamified vocabulary app is compared to a control group (n=42) using traditional ...
Research scenario: In a quasi-experimental study, an experimental group (n=39) using a gamified vocabulary app is compared to a control group (n=42) using traditional textbook. Both groups completed a pre-test to measure whether there is a difference in the amount of improvement differs between the two distinct teaching methods.
An independent samples t-test is employed since the experimental and control groups consist of different, independent participants. This test will compare the mean change scores (post-test minus pre-test) between the two groups. A paired samples t-test would be incorrect for this main hypothesis because it is designed for comparing two measurements within a single group (e.g., pre-test vs. post-test for the experimental group alone) or between matched pairs, not for comparing independent groups. Therefore, the independent samples t-test is chosen to determine if the gamified application produces a significantly greater vocabulary gain than traditional instruction.