It’s been years since I studied statistics, but I’d like to put a simple statistical illustration in a short report I’m writing. I’m not basing my whole analysis on this, but I’d like to spice it up with this kind of chart. And yet, I’ve forgotten enough statistics that I must turn to you to ask, would I be demonstrating proficiency or ignorance here?
To wit: I’d like to create two linear regressions for similar sets of data, to the effect that Set A is demonstrated to have a closer relationship with “variable X” than Set B. I’m not actually interested in “variable X” but I want to show that its influence is decreased for Set B, such that I can support the idea that another variable, call it “variable Y,” is at work in B but not in A.
And I’ll do so just by presenting the two simple scatter plots and saying “Set A shows an r-squared of 0.792 [real value] and Set B has an r-square of 0.654 [ditto], so something else must be at work for Set B.” And then go on to talk about that something else.
Smart, stupid, or does it not make sense at all?