Template-Type: ReDIF-Paper 1.0
Author-Name: Thomas Mayer
Author-Name-First: Thomas
Author-Name-Last: Mayer
Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Economics, University of California Davis
Title: A Frequent Misuse of Significance Tests
Abstract: Economists sometimes interpret the failure of a significance test to disconfirm a hypothesis as evidence that this hypothesis is valid. Six examples of this are cited from recent journals. But this is a as interpretation of what significance tests show.  While in general it is correct that every failure to disconfirm a hypothesis adds to its credibility, the term ""disconfirm"" is defined differently for this purpose than it is in the context of significance tests.
Length: 14
File-URL: https://repec.dss.ucdavis.edu/files/dXFUPpcF9vgLNKg3q3KiU6JS/01-5.pdf
File-Format: application/pdf
Number: 288
Classification-JEL: C1, B4
KeyWords: significance tests, t values, t coefficients, confirmation
Creation-Date: 20030115
Handle: RePEc:cda:wpaper:288