| Sumario: | Background and Purpose. The literature on teaching statistics at the university level provides support for the use of tools such as graphic organizers to help students under-stand the often confusing and sometimes complex process of selecting the appropriate statistical test for a given research question or design. This is the first of 2 reports that present several graphic organizers (also known as decision trees or flow charts) as decision-making guides for students to aid in the selection of appropriate statistical tests representative of those commonly used in physical therapy.Method/Model Description and Evaluation. To use the graphic organizers, the student learns 4 fundamental statistical concepts and then follows a decision-making process that leads to an appropriate statistical analysis. A prospective 2-group, reverse-design study on students who were familiar with the statistical textbook but not with the graphical organizer showed significant differences between the graphical organizer and textbook in both the time taken to select an appropriate statistical test and student preference. The graphic organizer led to correct statistical selection 3 times more often than the textbook.Outcomes. For 4 years, we have used the graphic organizer in the curriculum for students enrolled in a Master of Physical Therapy (MPT) program, receiving excellent student feedback.Discussion and Conclusion. The graphic organizers presented in this publication can be used to simplify the decision-making process for professional (entry-level) or postprofessional physical therapist students in choosing a statistical analysis for research questions that investigate group differences. The graphic organizers are convenient to use and can provide a visual organization of the decision-making process while high-lighting the concepts discussed in a traditional statistics course.
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