ABSTRACT
Now it is quite possible that you find this all very interesting but not relevant to you. Just as a person can happily drive a car without understanding the workings of the engine we can undertake statistics without knowing about the general linear model. However, if the car breaks down and you know the basics of the engine you might be able to get it going again (especially if it’s a simple blockage or a lack of fuel) whereas not knowing might lead to a costly wait for the breakdown truck. Similarly, a basic understanding of the general linear model provides an awareness of what is happening in a test and whether the data are appropriate to that test. Understanding the general linear model can lead to an understanding of why we have the assumptions of the statistical tests and what it means if those assumptions are not met.
