Nerdy Bot Scholarship Essay by Dora M. Donnelly

We’ve got a feedback story from our grateful customer who decided to share his success story and help students who struggle with the chi-squared test.

This article contains a full and really simple guide to solving chi-square. To keep his identity anonymous, we’ve changed his name.

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I’m Donald and this is my story about conquering chi-square. Einstein was completely right saying that, “If you can’t explain it to a six-year-old, you don’t understand it yourself.”

If you’re currently struggling with the chi-square test, I’ll answer all — and I mean all — your questions about this tricky statistical method in really easy to understand terms!

I’ve adapted this article from the “Methodology” section of my paper. You are welcome to use it to understand how the methodology of your own homework should work.

What is the Chi-Square Test and Where to Use It?

The first time I had to use chi-square was when I was at the 4th year of my undergraduate program at Pittsburgh University School of Nursing. I planned to prove that googling about mental health issues can cause anxiety and negative emotions.

Thus, the topic of my paper was “How reading of online resources about mental health issues impacts patients’ mental and emotional state”.

I surveyed 100 patients. I asked them how often they read about health issues, and whether such a guilty pleasure triggers their anxiety. Then, I recorded their answers on a table.  

All I needed was to find the right statistical test. I looked through a short chi-square guide online and it totally triggered my math anxiety.

You know, I felt that I’m the dumbest person in the world. Thankfully, I did not give up and continued.

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At the end of the day, Donald resolves his case — being mentored by a professional Nerd.

Let Nerdify find your perfect academic match using AI! 🤖

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❓ What is the Chi-Square Test?

First things first, I got to know my enemy. Chi-square test is a common statistical method used to determine whether two things (in statistics they are called variables) are somehow related.

❓ How to find out whether variables are related? If one variable somehow changes, and another immediately changes in response, it means that they are related.

This is actually very simple to understand once you put the concept of chi-square in the context of a real example.

In my case, patients would be reading about health issues online and experience anxiety. If they feel bad after browsing horrifying symptoms of mental illnesses on WedMD, that means these variables are related.

To make sure that the chi-square method suits your particular research, check these criteria:

1. You need to analyze numerical results — specifically, the numbers of times you’ve observed something happening, or how many people gave the same response.
2. Variables are categorical — variables should belong to specific groups. For instance, respondents in surveys can be categorized by gender, age, political views, etc.
3. There are two individual variables (e.g. how frequently people google online about mental illnesses (very frequently or rarely) and the effect of their googling (increased anxiety or no negative emotions)
4. You only need a “yes” or “no” answer – chi-square can only tell if two variables influence each other. It never tells how strong the influence is and when or why it occurs.

Chi-square is used pretty much anywhere because it is a simple, suitable for any sample size, and cheap way to test whether two variables are related. For instance:

 

• In healthcare: is anxiety associated with online research about health issues?
• In sociology: is crime rate related to the poverty level in a specific region?
• In marketing: do sales depend on the region where products are sold?
• In politics: does voter turnout depend on voter age?

Given all this info, I decided that chi-square was exactly what I needed for my research. But how to convert my data into a table and then get all the calculations done right? After 5 days of trial and error, all I had was only errors and I got stuck.

Why Chi-Square Test is Mistakenly Thought to be Difficult?

You’d think that the good old Google knows everything, but nope. Page after page of the search results, I saw the same explanations by-the-book, which were all Greek to me. Without statistical education, I got the theoretical part but was completely lost when it came to practice.

Then a friend of mine recommended me Nerdify. Nerdify connected me with a perfect Nerd — a Master in Medical Statistics and finally, I knew I was going somewhere!

A detailed explanation from the Nerd on how chi-square works and how I should use it — it was all that I needed to nail my super difficult paper.

Why was chi-square so difficult for me? As my Nerd said, it happens with all the students for the following reasons:

• Extremely complex definitions and explanations that make chi-square seem very entangled and confuse students
• Without illustrative examples, complex formulas are overwhelming for anyone who does not have a fancy for math.
• Lack of time teachers can devote to explaining every topic — students often have no one to ask for an extra explanation
• Lack of knowledge due to that your major doesn’t have anything to do with statistics. As a student nurse, I didn’t have any background in studying statistics at all.
  

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• Explain formulas?
• Provide real-life examples?
• Mentor customization of statistical methods to your project?

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If you’re struggling just as I did, for whatever reason, I’ve got a perfect step-by-step guide to chi-square that you can use!

Really Simple Step-by-Step Chi-Square Guide

Right off the bat, you should know that it’s totally acceptable for non-statistics students to skip doing all the calculations manually and use online chi-square test calculators.

However, my college professor required all the chi-square formulas explained in the paper. Thus, if you’ll use chi-square, you need to understand this method to interpret the results correctly.

▶ Formula Explained

When you see this abomination of a formula, you probably think it’s extremely complex:

where

• χ2 — value of chi square
• Σ — sign of sum, means the total amount of elements in a sequence
• O — observed value of a variable, or the numbers you already have from observations or task description
• E — expected value of variables you need to calculate yourself; they represent how the variables would be distributed if there would be NO relationship between the variables

Even if you do all the calculations using MS Excel or SPSS, you still need to know where to put which number!

In sections below, you fill find out more about where to find these numbers.

Now it’s time for the best part — calculations!

 

0️⃣ My Case ➕ Sample Size

In my research, I surveyed 100 patients. I asked them how often they read about health issues, and whether such a guilty pleasure triggers their anxiety

• So there were two categories of patients: those who frequently research health issues and those who rarely research them
• There were also two options of their emotional response: increased anxiety and no changes  

Right now, I know my sample size — the number of observations. How many people responded to the survey? How many times you’ve seen something happening during the experiment or study?

In my case, sample equaled 100 — the number of people who participated in the survey.

 

1️⃣ Creating a Chi-Square Table

Using this data, I created this contingency table:

❓ Contingency tables present observations in matrix format — rows and columns, just like the table above. This type of tables is very commonly used in statistics, especially because it demonstrates how two variables are connected.

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	Increased anxiety	No changes	Total
Frequently research
Rarely research
Total

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2️⃣ Choosing Statistical Significance

If you’re writing a paper using the chi-square method, chances are that the level of statistical significance isn’t given. Where do you get it? You choose it yourself!

❓ Statistical significance — is the likelihood of that the relationship between two or more variables is accidental and the results of the observation are caused by something else than just chance.

For instance, if a patient gets anxiety every time he does online research about health issues, then statistically the probability of getting anxiety, aka level of confidence is 100%, or 1.

If a patient gets anxiety in 9 times out of 10, then we can confidently state that the probability here is 90%, or 0.9.

The most typical levels of significance are 0.05 and 0.01 — both are 100% safe to use in your paper. I chose 0.01 because the lower the value, the more significant results you’ll get — lower significance implies a lower risk of error.

Why do we need the level of significance? My Nerd had a good metaphor to explain it. Imagine that you have to climb up a ladder that has 100 steps. The more steps are missing, the higher the risk that you’ll fall. That’s why we set a very low level of significance — to make sure that calculations are correct!

 

3️⃣ State your Hypotheses

The hypothesis is a fancy word that confuses many students, but in reality, the hypothesis is just an assumption that you have. In chi-square, you’ll need 2 of them.

• Null hypothesis (H0)– usually states that the results of the observations could result purely from chance and the variables are independent — if one of them changes, another one stays the same and doesn’t react to the changes in the first one.

My H0 would say that getting anxiety isn’t connected with researching health issues online.

• Alternative hypothesis (H1)  states that the sample observations result not from a random cause, but from a specific cause and the variables are dependent in some way.

That is, my H1 says that patients really do get anxiety and experience negative feelings after researching health issues online.

4️⃣ Fill in Observed Values

Here just enter all the observed values into the table:

❓ Observed value — what actually happened or how many times you’ve seen something occur. For instance, how many respondents out of 100 admitted to frequently research online about mental issues and get anxiety from it

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	Increased anxiety	No change	Total
Frequently research	36	9	45
Rarely research	24	31	55
Total	60	40	100

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5️⃣ Calculate Expected Value

Here we calculate values that would be observed in case if there would be no relationship between researching health issues and experiencing negative emotions.

❓ Expected value — it’s calculated by the formula below and show what would happen if the variables were absolutely independent — wouldn’t affect each other at all.

where

• E — expected value
• Mr — row total for the cell you’re calculating an expected value for
• Mc — column total for that cell
• n — sample size
  

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	Increased anxiety	No change	Total
Frequently research	27	18	45
Rarely research	33	22	55
Total	60	40	100

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• Expected value for “frequently research, increased anxiety” E=45*60/100=27
• Expected value for “only rarely research, increased anxiety” E=55*60/100=33
• Expected value for “frequently research, no negative emotions” E=45*40/100=18
• Expected value for“only rarely research, no negative emotions” E=55*40/100=22

 

6️⃣ Calculate Chi-Square Using the Formula

Once again, you can use online calculators, but this how it’s done in practice (aka the hard way):

 

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Not ready yet to move further with chi-square test?

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7️⃣ Calculate Degrees of Freedom and Critical Value

Now that we got chi-square calculation done, let’s calculate the degrees of freedom

❓ Degrees of freedom (df) — the number of independent variables that went into the calculation.

Just think of those promotions “buy 2 — get 1 for free!” — you’re free to choose several things, but +1 product is always set by the promotion. Degrees of freedom, however, subtract 1 from both your rows and columns.

You need to use a chi-square distribution table and find your critical value at the intersection of the degrees of freedom (df=1) and the level of significance (α=0.01):

So, our critical value is 6.63. This value is smaller than our χ2 =13.63 Therefore, in our chi-square test example, researching about health issues online and getting anxiety or negative emotions are related.

We don’t know how much they are related, because chi-square doesn’t answer this question. But we definitely know that they are somehow related.👌

Chi-Square Calculators — the Easy Way

Even if you need to do all the difficult calculations by yourself, these calculators are awesome to verify your results. Or, if you’re lucky, online calculators are all you’ll need to use to calculate chi-square!

1. Social Science Statistics Calculator — easy to use chi-square calculator that can calculate up to 5 rows and 5 columns. You can enter category names, fill in the data, and get the result in a flash.
2. Kent University SPSS Guide for Chi-Square — if you have SPSS, you can consider your chi-square test pretty much already done. This guide will help you learn how to import chi-square tables and graphs into the SPSS and get the task solved. Many colleges and universities use SPSS as their default tool, and your professor may ask you to show your SPSS datasheet.
3. Chi-Square Calculator — another extremely simple online chi-squared test calculator. All you need to do is enter the observed values and you’ll get degrees of freedom and chi-square ready.

How Can You Nail Chi-Square: My Pro Tips

If anyone told me I would be able to do it just a week before connecting with a Nerd, I’d never believed it. It was simple and logical explanations from my Nerd that helped me completely nail chi-square test and do all the calculations by myself.

Now, I understand each step of chi-square and interpret results correctly. For me, it was crucial that a professional, with a background in studying and applying statistics in practice, would explain everything to me in human language, not math language.

And now a few tips for you to cut corners if you’re dealing with chi-square:

• Keep in mind that chi-square isn’t rocket science — it is doable and actually very easy if you have a really simple and detailed guideline
• The number of rows and columns can vary and your table can be much larger than mine, however, the principle remains the same — you’ll just need to do more arithmetic
• When calculating the expected value, you’ll most likely get fractions, which can confuse you, especially if you’re calculating the number of people in each category. Don’t bother about it — these calculations are intended for further calculation of chi-square

That’s all I wanted to share in my feedback story today. Hopefully, it will help you nail chi-square and get the grade you deserve! Chi-square isn’t as difficult as it may seem at first, so go ahead and break a lance!

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Of course, you can make your own success story too!

Nerdify is an AI-powered platform to quickly connect with the experience of 1000s of Personal Nerds

✨Give a try right now!

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Regardless if you are planning to travel domestically these days or hope to visit a certain location abroad, you still have to check with the different restrictions and rules applicable for 2021 as an American student. According to what we could find out at Nerdify reviews, your first step should be checking up with the U.S. Department of State Travel Advisory. While we already have a list of European countries that accept vaccinated travelers, things are not that simple in practice. You still have to receive approval from the Department of State Travel committee and see the list of exceptions in advance. You can take a closer look here to study all the latest news because it will always depend on the purpose of your travel.

To make matters even worse we also have the European Union giving various hints stating that Americans would be restricted from entry due to the high and rising US coronavirus rate. However, there are also different rules for certain U.S. states, which means that you should always check twice to ensure that you do not have to spend at least 14 days of your journey stuck in quarantine.

Turning to the situation with the American students, our Nerdify reviews experts could find out the following:

– Graduate Students (including the ones who study abroad). You would need approval from the U.S. Department of State Travel Advisory according to Level 1 and 2 rules. The same relates to Level 3 & 4 travels. Currently, the group travels of students are not permitted if you plan to travel in groups of three or more people.

Regarding personal travels, it is recommended to postpone them unless you are coming back to your home country or travel for personal reasons or medical emergencies. Once again, our Nerdify reviews team asks you to take a look at the Covid-19 rules and related risks concerning travel restrictions in 2021.

If you plan to travel domestically for your internship based on your academic program, the chances are high that you will require approval from your advisor and the educational institution in question. You need the approval of the dean or a certified representative of the head of the administrative unit. You should be present in person with the list (and location) of all planned activities, housing, medical restrictions, vaccination (if available), and more.

Finally, domestic travels for personal reasons will include following the rules between the states and the check-in procedures upon your return and arrival to campus.

– Undergraduate Students (including study abroad individuals). According to what our Nerdify reviews team could see, the majority of colleges in the United States do not recommend their students to travel abroad these days unless the issue is urgent. You should, however, check with your institution to see whether they have lifted the “suspended” status.

Regarding international personal travel, undergraduate students are also recommended to postpone their plans until further announcement unless they belong to exchange students coming back to their home countries or need to come back because of legal or healthcare aspects. Once again, it is recommended to take time and study the U.S. Department of State website where they list various countries and talk about the risks and restrictions one may encounter. Since the situation changes literally every day, check the latest updates as often as you can.

Just like the postgraduate students, you are not allowed to travel in groups of three or more people. Still, if you receive written approval for any journey related to your academic studies, you still have a chance.

You must remember that only graduate students can receive a special Travel Waiver that would show that they are traveling for academic purposes, yet if you have a secure written approval document from the university’s dean, you should discuss this issue (and exceptions) with your academic advisor. This rule applies to all types of American students that travel beyond the United States or return from another country.

Coming back from abroad or traveling domestically through the United States, it is necessary to take a closer look at the rules introduced by your state and the other state(s) that you are planning to visit.

The Travel Exceptions

Remember that you may appear in the special exceptions list as an American student if you are:

– coming back to your home country as a permanent resident;
– a member of the U.S. Armed Forces attached to a mission;
– travel for the purpose of containment or mitigation of Covid-19;
– represent those whose entry represents the national interest and the matters of Homeland Security.

You should always check with your state’s laws and the international travel restrictions as a student to make your journeys safe and avoid any restrictions or trouble.

College has the potential to be one of the most unique and exciting periods of your life. Whether you’ve just started college or you’re planning on attending college in the near future, you now have the opportunity to make the most of this experience.

Attending college and taking the experience seriously can also be lucrative. Nerdify reviews experts studied data indicating college graduates often earn more than those who only graduate high school over the course of a lifetime.

The following 4 tips from Nerdify reviews team will help you achieve the goal of optimizing your college years. To take full advantage of all that college has to offer, you should:

1. Prioritize academics

Movies and TV shows about college often focus on depicting the social aspects of student life. This can result in some students forgetting that the social element of college is secondary to academics. While college certainly offers students the chance to make friends (a topic this very blog will touch on further down), it’s important to keep in mind that the real purpose of college is to equip you with a degree and education so that you may have a successful career. Reddit threads featuring tips for new college students tend to focus on the importance of studying and attending class for a reason: college graduates know this is critical.

Don’t squander college by focusing so much on partying and having fun that you never actually receive the education and training you’re paying for. At all times, your academic performance should be your top priority. This means along with going to class and completing your assignments, you must take all other necessary steps to optimize your performance academically, such as getting enough sleep, eating right, and trying your best to stay healthy in general.

It’s also worth noting that Nerdify reviews experts found research showing that partying on and around college campuses is becoming less popular than it once was. Focusing on academics may now be the norm for college students.

2. Take advantage of campus amenities and activities

Living on a college campus is somewhat like living in a small town in which everything is within walking distance, say students on Reddit reviews. Although college campuses may vary widely in size, if you live in a dorm, anything that’s happening on campus should be just a walk away.

Thus, living on a college campus offers you easy access to numerous events and activities in which you may participate. For example, theatre and music departments might organize performances you can attend. Or, you could head to your campus’ fitness center to work out. If your campus has a recreation center or game room, you can meet up with friends here at night if you have no studying to do.

Perhaps your campus is home to a museum featuring various interesting exhibits throughout the year. Additionally, student clubs and organizations likely host numerous events that may appeal to you. If you’re a sports fan attending school at a college where athletics are popular, you can likely attend games and matches throughout the semester.

Those are just a few examples of the types of activities, says Nerdify reviews team, that you may have easy access to when living on campus. Best of all, if you’re a student, participating in many of these activities may cost no money at all.

Adult life is different. After college, you won’t have as many opportunities to have low-cost fun within immediate walking distance of your home. Be sure to enjoy this unique benefit of the college experience while you can. You can also check Reddit threads and reviews about campus events and activities to get a sense of what types of events may be taking place on your campus.

3. Spend time with friends

Again, you attend college to earn a degree. That should always be your main goal. However, you can be a responsible student and still have an active social life.

Making good friends in college will have a positive impact on the overall experience. Nerdify reviews a survey of college graduates indicating 75% of those who made at least 10 close friends during college said the experience was very rewarding, while only 26% of those who didn’t make close friends in college said the experience was very rewarding.

Just as living on or near your college campus provides you with fast access to various activities in which you may participate, it also gives you access to many potential friends. During this period of your lives, you’ll all have many of the freedoms of adulthood without necessarily having many of the responsibilities of being an adult. Thus, you’re in a position to spend much more time with one another than you may be able to when you have careers, kids, etc. Take advantage of this by using your free time to cultivate quality friendships.

4. Develop relationships with professors and faculty members

Friendships with your fellow students aren’t the only types of valuable relationships you may forge in college. It’s also smart to develop relationships with professors and faculty members. Along with helping you succeed in your classes while you’re a student, your professors can also potentially assist you in getting jobs after graduation.

You already know research indicates graduates tend to have more positive attitudes about their college experiences if they made friends. Nerdify reviews experts found research showing that graduates are also more likely to feel they benefited from attending college if they developed relationships with their instructors and other members of the staff. Again, Reddit threads and reviews about getting to know professors and TAs in college can prove valuable if you don’t know how to begin developing this type of relationship.

It’s easy to understand why graduates share this opinion. A professor can serve as a helpful mentor who can set you on the path to a thriving career both in and out of school.

Just keep in mind, college goes by much faster than many students realize. Don’t wait to act on the advice here. If you apply these suggestions, your chances of having a rewarding college experience will be even greater than they already are.