This statistical procedure serves as a non-parametric alternative to the independent samples t-test. It assesses whether two independent samples originate from the same population, focusing on the medians of the two groups rather than the means. A common application involves comparing the effectiveness of two different teaching methods on student performance, where the data may not meet the normality assumptions required for a t-test.
Its significance lies in its robustness when dealing with non-normally distributed data or ordinal data. It avoids assumptions about the underlying distribution, making it a versatile tool in various fields, including social sciences, healthcare, and engineering. Historically, it provided a valuable method for hypothesis testing before widespread access to computational power enabled more complex analyses. Its continued relevance stems from its ease of implementation and interpretation.