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XXXIV. The other side of ‘statistical significance’: alpha, beta. delta, and the calculation of sample size
Author(s) -
Feinstein Alvan R.
Publication year - 1975
Publication title -
clinical pharmacology and therapeutics
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.941
H-Index - 188
eISSN - 1532-6535
pISSN - 0009-9236
DOI - 10.1002/cpt1975184491
Subject(s) - statistical significance , beta (programming language) , alpha (finance) , sample size determination , statistics , statistical analysis , significant difference , sample (material) , psychology , mathematics , medicine , chemistry , computer science , cronbach's alpha , chromatography , descriptive statistics , programming language
‘Statistical significance’ is commonly tested in biologic research when the investigator has found an impressive difference in two groups of animals or people. If the groups are relatively small, the investigator (or a critical reviewer) becomes worried about a statistical problem. Although the observed difference in the means or percentages is large enough to be biologically (or clinically) significant, do the groups contain enough members for the numerical differences to be ‘statistically significant’?