The p-value resulting from a test of the statistical significance of a finding indicates:
A)The importance of the finding.
B)The actual strength of the predicted relationship.
C)The probability that the study's finding is attributable to sampling error.
D)The alpha level.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The p-value represents the probability that the observed effect was due to chance or sampling error. A low p-value (e.g., less than 0.05) indicates that there is strong evidence against the null hypothesis and that the finding is unlikely to be due to chance. Therefore, option C is the correct answer. Option A is incorrect because the p-value does not indicate the importance of the finding, only the likelihood that it is real. Option B is incorrect because the p-value does not indicate the strength of the relationship, only the likelihood that it is not due to chance. Option D is incorrect because the alpha level is predetermined and does not depend on the p-value.

The P-Value Resulting from a Test of the Statistical Significance