In this tutorial we will show you how to report your Wilcoxon signed-rank test from SPSS in APA style.
First, we give you a template that you can use to report your results. Then, we explain how to populate this template using the SPSS output from your own test. Finally, we give you an example of a Wilcoxon signed-rank test report written using our template.
Please visit the APA Style website for more general information about formatting your reports in APA style.
Reporting a Wilcoxon Signed-Rank Test in APA Style
Replace the [blue text in square brackets] in our template with the relevant information from your own Wilcoxon signed-rank test. The (red numbers in parentheses) refer to the numbers on the screenshots of SPSS output and/or to our tips for writing your report (both are below). We encourage you to modify the wording of our template as needed for your own test.
Template for Reporting a Wilcoxon Signed-Rank Test in APA Style
A Wilcoxon signed-rank test indicated that (1) there was no significant difference between [dependent variable] [independent variable (IV) condition/time point 1] and [IV condition/time point 2], z = [value of z] (2), p = [value of p] (3) OR [dependent variable] was significantly [higher/lower] (4) [IV condition/time point 2] than [IV condition/time point 1], z = [value of z] (2), p = [value of p] (3). The median score on [measure] was [median for IV condition/time point 2] (5) [IV condition/time point 2] compared with [median for IV condition/time point 1] (6) [IV condition/time point 1].
Populating the Wilcoxon Signed-Rank Test APA Template
The screenshots below come from a Wilcoxon signed-rank test performed on a fictitious data set to evaluate whether there was a difference in students’ level of confidence in their ability to manage their personal finances before and after they completed a personal finance course. We used the following Likert scale item.
The numbers on the screenshots match numbers in our APA template. Use the corresponding values from the SPSS output for your own test to populate the template.
As per the APA Style Guide: (a) the first line of each paragraph of your report should be indented 0.5 inches from the left margin; and (b) the text should be double-spaced.
(1) Use the text highlighted in yellow if there was no significant difference in the dependent variable between the two conditions/time points in your study. Use the text highlighted in gold if there was a significant difference in the dependent variable between the conditions/time points. The difference is significant if the p value in the Asymp. Sig. (2-tailed) row of the Test Statistics table is less than or equal to the alpha level you selected for your test. Selecting an alpha level of .05 for a test is typical.
(2) We recommend that you report the value of z from the Test Statistics table to two decimal places.
(3) Report the p value to two or three decimal places as per the Asymp. Sig. (2-tailed) row of the Test Statistics table. If the p value is .000 however, report it as < .001. You should not add a leading zero to your p value.
(4) Check the Percentiles 50th (Median) column of the Descriptive Statistics table to see which of the two conditions/time points has the highest (or lowest) median. Use an appropriate adjective to compare the two conditions/time points in your study, e.g., higher, lower, greater, smaller, etc.
(5) and (6) Report the medians as per the Percentiles 50th (Median) column of the Descriptive Statistics table. We recommend reporting to zero decimal places for Likert-scale scores and two decimal places for interval or ratio data.
Wilcoxon Signed-Rank Test: Example Report in APA Style
A Wilcoxon signed-rank test indicated that [students’ confidence in their ability to manage their personal finances successfully] was significantly [higher] [after they completed a personal finance course] than [before they completed it], z = [-3.24], p = [.001]. The median score on [a 5-point Likert scale item] was [4] [after completing the course] compared with [3] [before completing it].
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That’s it for this tutorial. You should now be able to report the results of a Wilcoxon signed-rank test from SPSS in APA style.
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