from gain score t to ancova strongfstrong (and vice versa).pdfVIP

A peer-reviewed electronic journal. Copyright is retained by the first or sole author, who grants right of first publication to the Practical Assessment, Research Evaluation. Permission is granted to distribute this article for nonprofit, educational purposes if it is copied in its entirety and the journal is credited. Volume 14, Number 6, March 2009 From Gain Score t to ANCOVA F (and vice versa) Thomas R. Knapp, The Ohio State University and William D. Schafer, University of Maryland Although they test somewhat different hypotheses, analysis of gain scores (or its repeated-measures analog) and analysis of covariance are both common methods that researchers use for pre-post data. The results of the two approaches yield non-comparable outcomes, but since the same generic data are used, it is possible to transform the test statistic of one into that of the other. We derive a formula that can be used to accomplish a conversion between the two and give an example. Such a result could be helpful to meta-analysts, where the outcomes in different research reports may be of either of the two types, yet need to be synthesized. Suggestions for additional research that can improve the usefulness of the formula are offered. A common theme in the methodological research test on the gain scores (gain defined as posttest minus literature consists of contributions regarding the pretest) vs. an analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) with superiority of one type of data analysis over another for group as the principal independent variable, with the the same research design. Some