Module 4.

One Sample Runs Test 31

4
One Sample Runs Test
There are instances in our life that we act as a researcher. If, as a researcher, we
would like to draw some conclusions about a population by using the information
contained in the sample drawn from a population, the samples must be randomly selected
and the occurrences of observations must be independent. The test statistics that can
enable us to test the randomness of the sample is known as the one sample runs test. In
this section we will study one of the nonparametric statistical tests called-One Sample
Runs Test.

SELF-CHECK!!!

After finishing this module, you are expected to achieve

the following objectives

1. Describe the function of One Sample Runs Test

2. Familiarize yourself with the procedures in applying One Sample Runs

Test

3. Solve exercises related to One Sample Runs Test.

Module 4. One Sample Runs Test 32

LEARNING RESOURCES
For further readings, you may refer to the following books;

Bee Ching U. Ong Kian Koc and Vivien M. Talisayon (1998). Seminar in Advance
Statistics Applied to Education. Quezon City: UP Open University. (Modules 1-8)

Hair, J., Anderson, R., Tatham, R. and Black, W.(1998).Multivariate Data

Analysis with Readings. New Jersey: Prentice Hall, Inc.

Redecilla Glenn (2020). Parametric and Nonparametric Statistics for Statistician

Or view Nonparametric Statistics with Illustrations by: Gabino P. Petilos, Ph.D at

http://www.causeweb.org

EXPLORE!!!!
We are done with one of Nonparametric Statistical Tests for

One Sample - Chi Square Test for Goodness – of - fit. We are now about to

continue exploring another One Sample Test the – One Sample Runs Test. I

wish to say it again that I will directly indicate the discussion made by Ong Kian

Koc et.al (1998) regarding this topic.

ONE SAMPLE RUNS TEST

A run is defined as the succession of similar symbols followed by different

symbols or no symbols at all. It is a sequence of one or more scores from the

same sample. The null hypothesis of the test is based on the assumption that

there is no significant difference between the scores or observations of the

Module 4. One Sample Runs Test 33

samples derived from the same population. If the null hypothesis is true, then the

scores should be much intermixed and there should be many runs. If the null

hypothesis is false and the samples are different on the traits being measured,

then there should be very few runs.

A runs test furnishes us information on the sequence of the events but no

the frequency of the events. For example, if a fair coin is tossed 10 times, the

number of possible runs ranges from 2 to 10 as follows:

H H H H H T T T T T

1 2

Or

H T H T H T H T H T

10

Runs are indicated by underlining. The smaller the number of runs, the greater

the significant difference between the samples.

In this case, the lowest possible number of runs is, of course, two and the

highest possible number of runs is equal to the number of tosses of the coin. The

fewer the difference between the two samples, the more intermixing between the

two samples. This will result in the higher number of runs and consequently, a

lower probability to reject the null hypothesis.

Method

Let be the number of events of one kind and be the number of events

of the other kind in a sequence of binary events. For example, a

Module 4. One Sample Runs Test 34

group of math students are asked to rate the teaching effectiveness of their math

teacher. To dichotomize the scores, we rank the scores from highest to the

lowest, get the median, and classify those scores above the median as good and

those below the median as fair. Or we can let be the scores equal to or above

the median and be the number of scores below the median in the scores of

responses to a questionnaire.

To use the one sample runs test, we first observe the and events in

the sequence in which they occurred and determine the number of runs, . Then

refer to the table below. Any observed value of which is equal or less than the

top value shown on the table, or is equal or greater than the bottom value shown

in the same table is in the region of rejection at for two-tailed test.

When either or is greater than 20, the attached table cannot be used.

For large samples, we can always assume that the sampling distribution of is a

normal distribution with

Mean = (1)

and standard deviation

( )
√ ( )
(2)

Hence, may be tested by

( )
[ ( )]
(3)
√
( )

Where

if
Module 4. One Sample Runs Test 35

if
Module 4. One Sample Runs Test 36

Example. A random sample of 24 students in OROGO University has rated the

effectiveness of their math instructor in a scale that ranges from 10 (excellent) to

1 (poor). Is the sample randomly selected?

Students Rating Position of Rating with respect to median

1 10 +
2 9 +
3 10 +
4 7 +
5 10 +
6 6 -
7 8 +
8 10 +
9 10 +
10 5 -
11 4 -
12 9 +
13 3 -
14 6 -
15 7 +
16 10 +
17 8 +
18 10 +
19 2 -
20 3 -
21 7 +
22 5 -
23 6 -
24 4 -

Solution. Solving using six steps hypothesis testing model.

To test the randomness of the samples used in the study, we convert the score

of each student on the teaching effectiveness of the math instructor to a plus or

minus depending upon whether the score is above or below the group median,

and then apply the one sample runs test to the observed sequence of pluses and

minuses.
Module 4. One Sample Runs Test 37

Step 1. Stating the null hypothesis and its alternative

The pluses and minuses occur in random order. This means that the ratings

given by the samples on the teaching effectiveness of the math instructor occur

randomly throughout the experiment.

The order of pluses and minuses deviates from the median.

Step 2. Choosing statistical test.

Since the hypothesis concerns the randomness of a single sequence of ratings,

the one sample runs test is chosen.

Step 3. Significance Level

Let and be the number of ratings. In this case, let be the number of

ratings equal to or above the group median and be the number of ratings below

the group median.

Step 4. Sampling distribution and region of rejection

From the data given, we found the group median to be 7 and and .

Table G gives the critical values of at . is rejected if is equal to or

below 7 or equal to or greater than 18.

Step 5. Computing the test statistics

Since does not predict the direction of deviation from randomness, a one –

tailed test is used. Using the data given, we obtain the number of runs as follows,

+++++ - +++ - - + - - ++++ - - + ---

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

.
Module 4. One Sample Runs Test 38

Step 6. Decision Making

With reference to Table G, we find that for , does not fall

within the region of rejection. Thus we do not reject the null hypothesis. This

means that the ratings given by the students on the teaching effectiveness of the

math instructor really occur randomly or unbiased.

Since we have an allocated time for laboratory, I want you to do the following

activity. Make sure to submit your answers in MS Word format.

ACTIVITY

Solve the following exercises using the six steps hypothesis testing model.

1. A researcher was interested to determine if the order of sequence of the

queue line of males and females before a LRT token booth is random.
Within an hour, the researcher gathered his data by simply filing the sex of
each as they approach the booth. The order of males (M) and females (F)
in the queue line is as follows;
FFF MM F M F M FFFF MMM F M FF MMMMM FF M FF MM
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16
FFF M F M FF MM FF M FFF M F
17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27

2. Twenty accidents occurred along a particular stretch of Coastal Road in

one month. The nineteen distances between accidents, in kilometres are
as follows;
0.3 6.2 4.3 3.5 1.8 4.8 0.3 2.1 0.9 10.3
1.2 0.1 10.0 1.7 27.6 12.0 14.3 13.5 18.9
Module 4. One Sample Runs Test 39

DISCUSSION BOARD
We will now try to interact with each other in a two way

process at a least possible manner! I will post a question/s and try to answer it on

your own.

1. What particular mathematical skills have you applied in understanding

One Sample Runs Test?

2. As future educators, what advice/tips could you give to your fellow

students who were taking the same course to make this topic easier to

understand?

POST COMPETENCY CHECKLISTS

Let us try to determine if you learned something from our topic. Answer the
following Self-Assessment Question.

SELF – ASSESSMENT QUESTION 4

1. In your own words, describe the function of One Sample Runs Test

2. Solve the following exercises related to One Sample Runs Test.

A certain store manager wanted to test the hypothesis that customers

arrived randomly at her store, so she recorded between successive
arrivals of customers one afternoon. The time interval presented below
are measured in minutes;
3.5 6.7 13.0
14.5 39.0 3.8
18.0 5.5 10.2
22.6 4.5 4.6
13.5 11.2 3.7
Module 4. One Sample Runs Test 40

ASSIGNMENT

Solve the following exercises using the six steps hypothesis testing model.

1. A car store manager wants to determine if customers randomly arrived in

his store. He then records the sex of the customers that arrived as follows,

FFF MM F M F M FFFF MMM F M FF MMMMM FF M FF MM

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16
FFF M F M FF MM FF M FFF M F
17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27

2. Motor vehicle accidents happen in places with slippery road. The

distances between motor vehicle accidents was measured in kilometres,
by a traffic enforcers as follows;
0.5 6.8 4.3 3.5 1.8 4.8 0.3 2.1 0.76 10.3
1.2 0.1 10.0 1.7 28.6 12.0 14.3 13.5 19.8
Do accidents occur at random?