Misuse of p-values

Misuse of p-values is common in scientific research and scientific education. p-values are often used or interpreted incorrectly;[1] the American Statistical Association states that p-values can indicate how incompatible the data are with a specified statistical model.[2] From a Neyman–Pearson hypothesis testing approach to statistical inferences, the data obtained by comparing the p-value to a significance level will yield one of two results: either the null hypothesis is rejected (which however does not prove that the null hypothesis is false), or the null hypothesis cannot be rejected at that significance level (which however does not prove that the null hypothesis is true). From a Fisherian statistical testing approach to statistical inferences, a low p-value means either that the null hypothesis is true and a highly improbable event has occurred or that the null hypothesis is false.

  1. ^ Vidgen B, Yasseri T (March 2016). "P-Values: Misunderstood and Misused". Frontiers in Physics. 4 (6): 6. arXiv:1601.06805. Bibcode:2016FrP.....4....6V. doi:10.3389/fphy.2016.00006.
  2. ^ Cite error: The named reference asa2016 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).