EE - t-test question: use equation or t-test calculator

[The Angelus]

HI guys,

 

for my statistical analysis, I will be using the t-test. However, I am not sure if I should use the t-test equation to find the critical t value:

 

or, use this online t-test calculator. The online t-test calculator would make things easier, and would also save word space, as I could just reference the calculator.

 

But I am afraid that I will not get points for my understanding and the holistic judgement mark, since I just used a third-party resource.

 

What do you guys think? Currently I am writing it down with the equations and comparing it to the t distribution table, but explaining this method might take up valuable word space, rather than a report from the website, which states the p value and tells me if it is extremely significant, or just barely significant, depending on the magnitude of p.

 

Thanks,

 

Atham

 

EDIT: Or I can use excel, which utilizes a similar method to the online t test calculator

Edited July 23, 2015 by Atham

[Oscarthecat3]

Hi, You should use the equation, even if the explanation takes up a lot of space. If you don't include the equation you may not score any marks as you said, and at most you may score 1 point. By using the online t-test calculator method, you are not showing the examiner how the numbers were achieved, and therefore it is not an appropriate method of calculating the critical value. 

 

Hope this helps you, and good luck!