Sample Size and Significance of r

(a) Suppose n 5 6 and the sample correlation coefficient is r 5 0.90. Is r significant at the 1%

level of significance (based on a two-tailed test)?

(b) Suppose n 510 and the sample correlation coefficient is r 5 0.90. Is r significant at the 1%

level of significance (based on a two-tailed test)?

(c) Explain why the test results of parts

(a) and (b)

are different even though the sample correlation coefficient r 5 0.90 is the same in both parts. Does it appear that sample size plays an important role in determining the significance of a correlation coefficient? Explain.

AppendixLO1