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Fisher's Exact Test
Author(s) -
Upton Graham J. G.
Publication year - 1992
Publication title -
journal of the royal statistical society: series a (statistics in society)
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.103
H-Index - 84
eISSN - 1467-985X
pISSN - 0964-1998
DOI - 10.2307/2982890
Subject(s) - exact test , test (biology) , mathematics , statistics , biology , paleontology
SUMMARY This paper reviews the problems that bedevil the selection of an appropriate test for the analysis of a 2 times 2 table. In contradiction to an earlier paper, the author now argues the case for the use of Fisher's exact test. It is noted that all test statistics for the 2 times 2 table have discrete distributions and it is suggested that it is irrational to prescribe an unattainable fixed significance level. The use of mid‐ p is suggested, if a formula is required for prescribing a variable tail probability. The problems of two‐tail tests are discussed.