A p-value < 0.05 means: if H₀ is true, this result has <5% probability
Image: Food and Drug Administration, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
P-value
A p-value < 0.05 means: if H₀ is true, this result has <5% probability
The p-value represents the probability of obtaining results at least as extreme as the observed result, assuming the null hypothesis is true. This means that if the null hypothesis is correct, there is less than a 5% chance of observing such an extreme result purely by random chance.
A very small p-value indicates that the observed outcome is unlikely under the null hypothesis, suggesting that the null hypothesis may not be true. However, it is crucial to remember that a p-value does not measure the probability that the hypothesis is true or the importance of the result.
Misinterpretation of p-values is common, leading to incorrect conclusions about the validity of hypotheses. The American Statistical Association emphasizes that p-values should not be used in isolation and must be considered alongside other evidence and context.
Example
In a study testing the effectiveness of a new drug, a p-value of 0.03 indicates that there is only a 3% chance of observing the observed improvement in patients if the drug had no effect (null hypothesis is true).
Remember this
Understanding the correct interpretation of p-values helps prevent erroneous conclusions and promotes accurate scientific communication.
Text adapted from Wikipedia, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
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