The Wilk-Shapiro Test

The Wilk-Shapiro Test, also known as the Shapiro-Wilk Test, is a statistical method used to determine if a set of data follows a normal distribution, which is a common pattern in statistics where data values cluster around a mean. This test helps researchers understand whether the data can be analyzed using techniques that assume normality, like many parametric tests. A significant result suggests that the data is not normally distributed, guiding decisions on appropriate analysis methods. It's particularly useful because many statistical analyses rely on the assumption of normality.