EVALUATING ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE DIFFERENCES USING PARAMETRIC AND NON-PARAMETRIC TESTS

Abstract

This study examines the effectiveness of parametric and non-parametric methods in analyzing academic performance differences based on gender and study time, with GPA as the outcome measure. Independent t-tests and ANOVA were employed alongside Mann–Whitney U and Kruskal–Wallis tests. Descriptive analysis revealed that female students and those studying more than two hours daily tended to have slightly higher GPAs. Assumption tests confirmed normality and homogeneity of variances, supporting the appropriateness of parametric techniques. While no statistically significant differences were observed, both parametric and non-parametric methods consistently indicated a positive relationship between study time and GPA. These findings demonstrate methodological consistency across statistical approaches and highlight the practical importance of study habits in influencing academic performance, even when statistical significance is not evident.