Is the Mann-Whitney U test two tailed?
This test is often performed as a two-sided test and, thus, the research hypothesis indicates that the populations are not equal as opposed to specifying directionality. A one-sided research hypothesis is used if interest lies in detecting a positive or negative shift in one population as compared to the other.
What does the Mann-Whitney U test test for?
The Mann-Whitney U test is used to compare whether there is a difference in the dependent variable for two independent groups. It compares whether the distribution of the dependent variable is the same for the two groups and therefore from the same population.
When would you use a two-tailed test?
A two-tailed test is appropriate if you want to determine if there is any difference between the groups you are comparing. For instance, if you want to see if Group A scored higher or lower than Group B, then you would want to use a two-tailed test.
What is a two-tailed distribution?

Key Takeaways. In statistics, a two-tailed test is a method in which the critical area of a distribution is two-sided and tests whether a sample is greater or less than a range of values. It is used in null-hypothesis testing and testing for statistical significance.
When should I use the Mann-Whitney U test?
The Mann-Whitney U test is used to compare differences between two independent groups when the dependent variable is either ordinal or continuous, but not normally distributed.
Do I have a one-tailed or two tailed test?
A one-tailed test has the entire 5% of the alpha level in one tail (in either the left, or the right tail). A two-tailed test splits your alpha level in half (as in the image to the left). Let’s say you’re working with the standard alpha level of 0.5 (5%). A two tailed test will have half of this (2.5%) in each tail.
What does a 2 tailed test mean?
A two-tailed test, in statistics, is a method in which the critical area of a distribution is two-sided and tests whether a sample is greater than or less than a certain range of values. It is used in null-hypothesis testing and testing for statistical significance.
When should a two tailed test be used?
Two-tailed tests should be used when you’re willing to accept any of the following: one mean being greater, lower, or similar to the other.
What is the difference between U test and t-test?
The Mann-Whitney U test is the nonparametric equivalent of the two sample t-test. While the t-test makes an assumption about the distribution of a population (i.e. that the sample came from a t-distributed population), the Mann Whitney U Test makes no such assumption.
Is a paired t-test two tailed?
The paired sample t-test hypotheses are formally defined below: The null hypothesis (H0) assumes that the true mean difference (μd) is equal to zero. The two-tailed alternative hypothesis (H1) assumes that μd is not equal to zero. The upper-tailed alternative hypothesis (H1) assumes that μd is greater than zero.