When statisticians report that the results from an experiment are significant,this means the results
A)are scientifically important.
B)are too unlikely to accept as sampling error.
C)differ from what was predicted by the experimental hypotheses.
D)do not differ from what was predicted by the null hypothesis.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

When statisticians report that the results from an experiment are significant, it means that the observed effect is too rare or too extreme to be explained by chance or sampling error. This is typically determined by calculating the p-value, which measures the probability of observing the data or a more extreme data point, assuming that the null hypothesis (usually that there is no effect or difference) is true. If the p-value is below a predetermined threshold (often 0.05 or 0.01), then the null hypothesis is rejected and the results are considered significant. Note that significance does not necessarily imply scientific importance or practical relevance - it only means that the observed effect is not likely due to chance.

When Statisticians Report That the Results from an Experiment Are