An Analysis of Differences in Academic Achievement Levels Between Male and Female Students in a Statistics Course Using the Non-Parametric Mann-Whitney U Test An Applied Study on Students of the Faculty of Economics, Surman

Abstract

This study aimed to analyze differences in academic achievement between male and female students in the Statistics course at the College of Economics, Surman, using the nonparametric Mann–Whitney U test. The study adopted a descriptive analytical approach and used actual final examination grades for the 2024–2025 academic year. The sample consisted of 50 students, including 25 males and 25 females. The Shapiro–Wilk test was used to assess the normality of grade distributions, while the Mann–Whitney U test was used to compare the two independent groups. Data were analyzed using SPSS version 27. The results of the Mann–Whitney U test revealed a statistically significant difference in academic achievement between male and female students, with U = 193.500 and p = 0.021. The difference favored female students, who achieved a higher mean rank than male students. These findings highlight the importance of applying appropriate statistical methods when examining differences in academic achievement in university courses.