Is a treatment worthwhile?

Question 1

What is hypothesis testing?

Answer 1

Proposing a hypothesis, then trying to show it is wrong

Question 2

Define hypothesis

Answer 2

A tentative conjecture explaining an observation, phenomenon, or scientific problem that can be tested by further observation, investigation, and/or experimentation.

Question 3

What are the 2 types of hypotheses? Define them

Answer 3

• Null= There is no effect

- Alternative= There is an effect and this may be good or bad

Question 4

What assumptions are made when calculating a test statistic for hypothesis testing?

Answer 4

• That the variable to be tested is, at least approximately, normally distributed.
• That samples are independent, that is the values are observed on different patients

Question 5

What is the p value?

Answer 5

• The probability, under the null hypothesis, that such a test statistic could take a value
• The probability of obtaining the results of the test given that the null hypothesis is true
• When the p value is less than 0.05, then the result is statistically significant

Question 6

What does a small p value signify?

Answer 6

The smaller the p value the less likely the result is to have occurred by chance alone.