What statistical tool should I use for my thesis problem?

Question

Hi I am a graduating student and currently doing my thesis. I just want to ask what statistical tool I should use in order to determine whether price premium of free-range chicken can offset/compensate the low productivity of free-range broiler chicken system. I am confused on what to use. I also gathered data on caged broiler chicken system as basis for my data on free-range system. I compared the means of the productivity of free-range and caged system using independent t-test and at the same time I also compared the means of the prices of free-range chicken and the caged chicken using independent t-test. Then the result is that free-range system has low productivity than the caged system and the free-range chicken has higher price than its caged counterpart. But how could I test if price premium of free-range chicken can offset/compensate the low productivity of free-range broiler chicken system. Could I use simple linear regression? Please help me I don’t know what to use. Thank you very much to whoever will answer my question. It will be a big help for me that will enable me to graduate.

Answer 1

Hi Freedah,

 

Your confusion is understandable! One of my specialties is helping students with their theses and dissertations and I see this problem when my students don't have:

 

!. Their research question laid out in a clear concise manner

2. The appropriate null and alternate hypotheses

3. The nature and measurement level of your dependent variable

4. The nature and measurement level of your independent variable

 

Once you have true understanding of those four questions, the appropriate test will be clear.

 

If you have one dependent variable and it is continuous and normal and your independent variables are categorical, then a t test or ANOVA is appropriate. If you have multiple dependent variables, you can use a MANOVA.

 

It sounds like you need to define your problem more thoroughly and you will find the answer.

 

Good luck and let me know if I can help,

 

Walter