The FISHER function in Excel is a statistical tool used to perform the Fisher transformation on a given value. This transformation is particularly useful for converting correlations into a range that can be interpreted more easily, aiding in hypothesis testing or analysis of data. It is particularly applied in various fields, including finance and research, to analyze relationships between variables.

Syntax

FISHER(x)

• x: The value to be transformed. It must be a numeric value that represents a correlation coefficient (between -1 and +1).

Example #1

=FISHER(0.5)

This function calculates the Fisher transformation of a correlation coefficient of 0.5, resulting in approximately 0.5493.

Example #2

=FISHER(0.9)

Here, the Fisher transformation for a correlation of 0.9 is computed, yielding a result of about 1.4722.

Example #3

=FISHER(-0.3)

In this example, the function performs the Fisher transformation on a correlation of -0.3, resulting in approximately -0.3041.

Error handling

• NUM! This error occurs if the input value is not a valid numeric value or is outside the permissible range of (-1, 1).
• VALUE! This error arises when a non-numeric value is supplied as the argument.

Conclusion

In summary, the FISHER function is a powerful statistical tool that facilitates the transformation of correlation coefficients into a format suitable for further analysis. This transformation plays a vital role in various statistical techniques and provides valuable insights for data interpretation.