ERIC Number: ED413342
Record Type: Non-Journal
Publication Date: 1997-Aug-17
Pages: 32
Abstractor: N/A
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: N/A
EISSN: N/A
If Statistical Significance Tests Are Broken/Misused, What Practices Should Supplement or Replace Them?
Thompson, Bruce
Given some consensus that statistical significance tests are broken, misused, or at least have somewhat limited utility, the focus of discussion within the field ought to move beyond additional bashing of statistical significance tests, and toward more constructive suggestions for improved practice. Five suggestions for improved practice are recommended: (1) required reporting of effect sizes; (2) reporting of effect sizes in an interpretable manner; (3) explicating the values that bear on results; (4) providing evidence of result replicability; and (5) reporting confidence intervals. Although the five recommendations can be followed even if statistical significance tests are reported, social science will proceed most rapidly when research becomes the search for replicable effects noteworthy in magnitude in the context of both the inquiry and personal or social values. (Contains 1 table and 74 references.) (Author/SLD)
Publication Type: Opinion Papers; Speeches/Meeting Papers
Education Level: N/A
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A