AcaStat Statistical Software

AcaStat statistical software includes this Handbook, a search-and-expand statistics glossary, and an affordable  easy to use analytical tool.

Available on CD-ROM or instantly as a download.

  Click to learn more about AcaStat

AcaStat Software, All Rights Reserved http://www.acastat.com
Contents  Introduction Descriptive Hypothesis Tables Appendix

Spearman Rho Coefficient
For paired observations that are ranked.

Verify the conditions are appropriate

Spearman rho ( ) is a special case of the Pearson r

Involves scores of two variables that are ranks

The formulas for Pearson r and Spearman rho are equivalent when there are no tied ranks.

 Compute Spearman rho

n = number of paired ranks

d = difference between the paired ranks

Note: When two or more observations of one variable are the same, ranks are assigned by averaging positions occupied in their rank order.

Example:
Score
2
3
4
4
5
6
6
6
8
Rank
1
2
3.5
3.5
5
7
7
7
9

Interpret the Coefficient

Interpret the association using the same scale employed for Pearson r



Example