Performing Student’s t-test in Python and interpreting the effect sizes
Student’s t-test is a way of comparing the average values of two groups of data. It can help decide whether the difference between the groups is due to chance or a factor that is being studied.
Suppose we want to compare levels of metabolites, such as high density lipoprotein (HDL) or low-density lipoprotein (LDL), in two groups of subjects. Student’s t-test can tell if the average difference in these metabolites is significantly different between the groups. Using this approach, one can tell that the level of confidence that the difference we measured reflects the difference in the larger sample and not just the data analyzed.
How does the t-test work?
Student’s t-test works through the calculation of a number called the t-statistic, which measures how far apart the two group averages are, relative to the variability within each group. The larger the t-statistic, the more likely...
