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How to interpret Spearman Correlation

5 messages · shahab, Raphael Saldanha, David Winsemius +1 more

#
Hi,

I am not really familiar with Correlation foundations, although I read
a lot. So maybe if someone kindly help me to interpret the following
results.
I had the following R commands:

correlation <-cor( vector_CitationProximity , vector_Impact, method =
"spearman", use="na.or.complete")
 cor_test<-cor.test(vector_CitationProximity, vector_Impact, method="spearman")

and the results are:
"correlation"
Correlation =  0.04715686

"cor_test"
Spearman's rank correlation rho

data:  vector_CitationProximity and vector_Impact
S = 5581032104, p-value = 0.008736
alternative hypothesis: true rho is not equal to 0
sample estimates:
       rho
0.04582115


So apparently, there is positive correlation between two given
variables since Correlation =  0.04715686  > 0
However I couldn't interpret the significance ?' what does "rho" say?
Is there any simple sample that I can read and try to understand? I am
do confused in understanding how significance can be interpreted.

Thanks,

/Shahab
#
Shahab;

You would be well advised not to seek private tutoring from someone on the Internet who tells you that a p-value of 0.008736 is "not significant".
On Nov 1, 2011, at 8:09 PM, Raphael Saldanha <saldanha.plangeo at gmail.com> wrote:

            
#
What David was getting at is that you interpreted the P-value as one minus
the P-value, not a safe practice.  There is also some question about whether
it would have been better to recommend a good book or course.
Frank
Raphael Saldanha wrote:
-----
Frank Harrell
Department of Biostatistics, Vanderbilt University
--
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