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The Average Spearman Rank Correlation Coefficient

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 January 2025

Samuel B. Lyerly
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Abstract

A method is derived for finding the average Spearman rank correlation coefficient of N sets of ranks with a single dependent or criterion ranking of n items without computing any of the individual coefficients. Procedures for calculating the exact distribution of ρav for small values of N and n are described for the null case. The first four moments about zero of this distribution are derived, and it is concluded that for samples as small as N = 4 and n = 4 the normal distribution can be used safely in testing the hypothesis ρav = 0.

Information

Type
Original Paper
Information
Psychometrika , Volume 17 , Issue 4 , December 1952 , pp. 421 - 428
Copyright
Copyright © 1952 The Psychometric Society

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Footnotes

*

This problem first came to the writer's attention in discussions with Dr. Dean J. Clyde.

References

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