A friend claimed that 25% of statistics students would use statistics in their future careers, but the author believed it was less. To test this, the author surveyed 200 fellow students (out of 250 asked), and found that only 18% said they would use statistics. The author conducted a z-test for proportions and found a statistically significant difference between the claim of 25% and the sample proportion of 18%, with z=2.35 and p=0.001.

1. Reporting Single-Sample Z-Test
for Proportions

2. Here is one of several ways to report a simple-sample
z-test for proportions:

3. A difference between (insert a description of the
population in terms of the dependent variable) and
(insert a description of the sample in terms of the
dependent variable) is or is not statistically
significantly different, z = 0.00, p = .000.

4. Consider this example:

5. A friend tells you that only a quarter of students in
your statistics class see themselves using statistics in
their future professions. You disagree and say it is
much less than that. To prove your point, you send a
survey to 250 of your fellow students asking them
this question. 200 respond with 18% indicating that
they see themselves using it in the future. Who is
right?

6. A friend tells you that only a quarter of students in
your statistics class see themselves using statistics in
their future professions. You disagree and say it is
much less than that. To prove your point, you send a
survey to 250 of your fellow students asking them
this question. 200 respond with 18% indicating that
they see themselves using it in the future. Who is
right?
A difference between (insert a description of the
population in terms of the dependent variable) and
(insert a description of the sample in terms of the
dependent variable) is or is not statistically
significantly different, z = 0.00, p = .000.

7. A friend tells you that only a quarter of students in
your statistics class see themselves using statistics in
their future professions. You disagree and say it is
much less than that. To prove your point, you send a
survey to 250 of your fellow students asking them
this question. 200 respond with 18% indicating that
they see themselves using it in the future. Who is
right?
A difference between (insert a description of the
population in terms of the dependent variable) and
(insert a description of the sample in terms of the
dependent variable) is or is not statistically
significantly different, z = 0.00, p = .000.

8. A friend tells you that only a quarter of students in
your statistics class see themselves using statistics in
their future professions. You disagree and say it is
much less than that. To prove your point, you send a
survey to 250 of your fellow students asking them
this question. 200 respond with 18% indicating that
they see themselves using it in the future. Who is
right?
A difference between a claim that 25% of statistics
students plan to use statistics in their future
profession and (insert a description of the sample in
terms of the dependent variable) is or is not
statistically significantly different, z = 0.00, p = .000.

9. A friend tells you that only a quarter of students in
your statistics class see themselves using statistics in
their future professions. You disagree and say it is
much less than that. To prove your point, you send a
survey to 250 of your fellow students asking them
this question. 200 respond with 18% indicating that
they see themselves using it in the future. Who is
right?
A difference between a claim that 25% of statistics
students plan to use statistics in their future
profession and (insert a description of the sample in
terms of the dependent variable) is or is not
statistically significantly different, z = 0.00, p = .000.

10. A friend tells you that only a quarter of students in
your statistics class see themselves using statistics in
their future professions. You disagree and say it is
much less than that. To prove your point, you send a
survey to 250 of your fellow students asking them
this question. 200 respond with 18% indicating that
they see themselves using it in the future. Who is
right?
A difference between a claim that 25% of statistics
students plan to use statistics in their future
profession and 18% indicating that they see
themselves using it in the future is or is not
statistically significantly different, z = 0.00, p = .000.

11. A friend tells you that only a quarter of students in
your statistics class see themselves using statistics in
their future professions. You disagree and say it is
much less than that. To prove your point, you send a
survey to 250 of your fellow students asking them
this question. 200 respond with 18% indicating that
they see themselves using it in the future. Who is
right?
A difference between a claim that 25% of statistics
students plan to use statistics in their future
profession and 18% indicating that they see
themselves using it in the future is statistically
significantly different, z = 2.35, p = .000.

12. A friend tells you that only a quarter of students in
your statistics class see themselves using statistics in
their future professions. You disagree and say it is
much less than that. To prove your point, you send a
survey to 250 of your fellow students asking them
this question. 200 respond with 18% indicating that
they see themselves using it in the future. Who is
right?
A difference between a claim that 25% of statistics
students plan to use statistics in their future
profession and 18% indicating that they see
themselves using it in the future is statistically
significantly different, z = 2.35, p = .000.
Calculated
using SPSS

13. A friend tells you that only a quarter of students in
your statistics class see themselves using statistics in
their future professions. You disagree and say it is
much less than that. To prove your point, you send a
survey to 250 of your fellow students asking them
this question. 200 respond with 18% indicating that
they see themselves using it in the future. Who is
right?
A difference between a claim that 25% of statistics
students plan to use statistics in their future
profession and 18% indicating that they see
themselves using it in the future is statistically
significantly different, z = 2.35, p = .001.
Calculated
using SPSS

14. Here is the official report:

15. A difference between a claim that 25% of statistics
students plan to use statistics in their future
profession and an actual sample of 18% who
responded in a survey that they would, z = 2.35,
p. 001 is statistically significantly.