Stahel 2021 PLOS ONE

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Stahel WA (2021) New relevance and significance measures to replace p-values. PLOS ONE 16:e0252991. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0252991.

Β» Open Access

Stahel Werner A (2021) PLOS ONE

Abstract: The p-value has been debated exorbitantly in the last decades, experiencing fierce critique, but also finding some advocates. The fundamental issue with its misleading interpretation stems from its common use for testing the unrealistic null hypothesis of an effect that is precisely zero. A meaningful question asks instead whether the effect is relevant. It is then unavoidable that a threshold for relevance is chosen. Considerations that can lead to agreeable conventions for this choice are presented for several commonly used statistical situations. Based on the threshold, a simple quantitative measure of relevance emerges naturally. Statistical inference for the effect should be based on the confidence interval for the relevance measure. A classification of results that goes beyond a simple distinction like β€œsignificant / non-significant” is proposed. On the other hand, if desired, a single number called the β€œsecured relevance” may summarize the result, like the p-value does it, but with a scientifically meaningful interpretation.

β€’ Bioblast editor: Gnaiger E

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