Many data scientists are interested in comparing the slopes from two linear regression lines in their analysis. Doing this requires analyzing the ANOVA output from the regressions and separately studying the output for each line. In this guide, we'll cover how to compare the slopes of two regression lines in R, step-by-step.
Step-by-Step Guide
Step 1 - Create the Dataset
First, create a dataset with a x column and two columns for the regression lines that we'll compare: y1 and y2. This will be the data used for the regressions.
Step 2 - Run the Regressions
Next, use lm() to run two separate regressions, one for y1 and one for y2. Make sure to use the same x column for both or the results won't be accurate.
Step 3 - Check the Regression Output
Once the regressions are complete, check the output. Look at the R-squared value and the p-value for each one. Make sure both are not statistically significant, meaning they're not predicting the outcomes accurately.
Step 4 - Examine the ANOVA Table
Now, examine the ANOVA table. This table includes the coefficient for the slope of the regression line in the row x. The column p-value indicates whether this coefficient is statistically significant.
Step 5 - Compare Slopes
Finally, compare the slopes from the two regression lines by looking at the coefficient values in the ANOVA table. If the coefficients are both statistically significant (i.e., the p-value for both is less than 0.05), then the slopes are significantly different.
Helpful Resources
FAQ
Q: What is ANOVA?
A: ANOVA stands for analysis of variance. It's used to measure the differences between groups by looking at the variance of the means of the groups.
Q: How do I interpret the output from the ANOVA table?
A: The ANOVA table shows the coefficient of the regression line and the associated p-value. If the coefficient is statistically significant (i.e. p-value less than 0.05) then the regression line is predicting the outcome accurately.