Probability and significance (statistical testing)

Statistical testing aims to assess whether a difference/relationship is

• Significant

• Reliable

• Accurate

Statistical testing aims to assess whether a difference/relationship is s (a)  

Statistical testing involves determining the probability that a difference/relationship occurred due to c (a)   .

If there is a high probability that a difference/relationship occurred due to chance...

• Researchers can be confident they have found a significant result

• Researchers cannot be confident they have found a significant result

Researchers use (a)   to identify the probability that a difference/relationship occurred due to chance.

P-values/levels of significance are expressed in:

• Decimal form

• Fraction form

• Ratio form

If a statistical test finds that a relationship is significant at p<0.05 this would mean that:

• There is less than a 5% probability the relationship occurred due to chance

• There is a 5% probability the relationship occurred due to chance

• There is more than a 5% probability the relationship occured due to chance

If a statistical test finds that a relationship is significant at p<0.05 this would mean that:

• The researcher can be 95% confident that they have found a real relationship.

• The researcher is less than 95% confident that they have found a real relationship

A p-value of 0.01 means:

• There is a 1% probability that the result occurred due to chance

• There is a 10% probability that the result occurred due to chance

• There is a 0.01% probability that the result occurred due to chance

• There is a 0.01% probability that the result occurred due to chance

If researchers wanted to minimise the likelihood of their significant difference/relationship being due to chance, which p-value should they use?

• 0.01

• 0.1

• 0.05

• 0.5