If one in twenty does not seem high enough odds, we may…
“If one in twenty does not seem high enough odds, we may, if we prefer it, draw the line at one in fifty (the 2 per cent. point), or one in a hundred (the 1 per cent. point). Personally, the writer prefers to set a low standard of significance at the 5 per cent. point, and ignore entirely all results which fail to reach this level. A scientific fact should be regarded as experimentally established only if a properly designed experiment rarely fails to give this level of significance.”
About This Quote
This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.
Statistical significance thresholds are conventions; Fisher suggests a 5% cutoff for deeming results reliable.
In simple terms: Use 5% as a standard for significance.
Key Takeaway
Adopt a clear significance level.
Themes
statistics
research
significance
Mood
analytical
critical
Type
educational
informative
When to use this quote
- clinical trials
- psychology studies
- economics research
- policy analysis
Key Concepts
p-values
confidence intervals
null hypothesis testing
Questions to Reflect On
- Is a 5% cutoff always appropriate?
- How do you handle results near the threshold?
A Different Perspective
Different fields may require stricter or looser thresholds.