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Confidence - and clinical importance - in research findings

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  03 January 2018

Martin J. Gardner  and
Douglas G. Altman
Martin J. Gardner*
Affiliation:
MRC Environmental Epidemiology Unit (University of Southampton), Southampton General Hospital, Southampton SO9 4XY
Douglas G. Altman
Affiliation:
Medical Statistics Laboratory, Imperial Cancer Research Fund, PO Box 123, Lincoln's Inn Fields, London WC2A 3PX
*
∗Correspondence
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Extract

Testing the null hypothesis has been the cornerstone of much statistical theory and practice over the last few decades. During this time it has encroached on most disciplines and become widespread in use within them. There are now few research papers in the scientific literature where the outcome of one or more hypothesis tests is not reported. With this ‘progress' there has undoubtedly been an improvement in the way in which data have been collected, analysed, and interpreted, and a move towards more objective evaluation of study results.

Type
Comment
Information
The British Journal of Psychiatry , Volume 156 , Issue 4 , April 1990 , pp. 472 - 474
Copyright
Copyright © Royal College of Psychiatrists, 1990 

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