Wilcoxon signed-rank test

The Wilcoxon signed-rank test is a statistical method used to compare two related groups or measurements, like before and after a treatment, to see if there’s a meaningful difference. Instead of relying on averages, it looks at how much each pair of measurements differs, considers both the size and direction of these differences, and ranks them. By analyzing these ranks, the test determines whether the differences are generally positive or negative, indicating a real change, or if they are just random fluctuations. It’s useful when data doesn’t meet the assumptions required for traditional tests like the t-test.