Many statistical tests assume that data is normally distributed. if one plotted the data it would take the classic “bell curve” shape. Normal: This refers to the assumption that data is normally distributed, i.e.“Yes” and “no” and the education levels are all examples of categorical data. if we are interested in the number of people that have achieved various levels of education, there will probably be a natural ordering of the categories: ‘primary, secondary’ and then university” (p. In a public opinion survey for approving or disapproving a new law, the votes cast can be either ‘yes’ or ‘no’. Categorical: “Categorical data consists of counts of observations falling into specific classes.This can be accomplished with descriptive statistics such as frequencies, means, standard deviations, etc. Sometimes the first step in any study is to organize the data and understand patterns. To use this tool please select the applicable goal of the analysis of the data then work through the tables from left to right to select the correct statistical test. Also provided below are a variety of links for added support. Below we provide commonly used statistical tests along with easy-to-read tables that are grouped according to the desired outcome of the test. This tool is designed to assist the novice and experienced researcher alike in selecting the appropriate statistical procedure for their research problem or question. Statistical Analysis Decision Tool: An Introduction To make life easier, I have developed this statistical analysis decision tool. They may ask themselves, “in this situation, do I apply a Pearson’s or Spearman’s Correlation? Or, should I consider setting up cross tabulations or maybe a regression analysis?” Then, there are those times when researchers want to compare means or hypotheses the researcher might think about using t-Tests or ANOVA based on the sample data. Let’s say researchers are interested in looking at the relationship(s) across variables. Even experienced researchers or those who have spent time away from statistics may feel a bit rusty and need a refresher. A challenge that many novice researchers face is deciding on the appropriate statistical test for their research problem or research question.