Categorical and Association

Use this overview to decide when a categorical association test is the right choice, choose between chi-square and Fisher's exact approaches, and understand what belongs in a different methods category.

Use this section when your question is whether categorical variables are associated and you need to test a contingency table rather than model a continuous or time-to-event outcome.

This section is for categorical association tests on count tables, not for mean comparisons, regression modeling, or survival analysis. If your main question is whether group averages differ, how predictors relate to a continuous or binary outcome, or when an event occurs, start with Group Comparison, Regression and Modeling, or Survival Analysis instead.

Categorical association methods are useful when you need to test independence, enrichment, or distribution differences across categories using observed and expected counts. Licklider helps you choose the leaf page that matches your table size, sample size, and cell-count pattern.

Child pages

Start here

  1. Start with Chi-Square Test when expected counts are adequate and you need a general test of association or independence in a contingency table.
  2. Start with Chi-Square Test for categorical association in most cases. When Licklider detects a 2x2 table, it runs Fisher's exact test automatically alongside chi-square and shows both results in the Inspector. You do not need to select Fisher's exact test separately.
  • Use related links below when your categorical question also needs setup, checks, figures, or reporting guidance.