statistically significant

English

Etymology

(regarding p-values): Coined by Sir Ronald Aylmer Fisher

Adjective

statistically significant (comparative more statistically significant, superlative most statistically significant)

1. (probability) Having a p-value of 0.05 or less (having a probability of 5% or less of occurring by random chance)
2. Pertaining to statistical significance (Can we add an example for this sense?)
3. Used other than figuratively or idiomatically: see statistically,‎ significant. (Can we add an example for this sense?)

Usage notes

• Though having a p-value of 0.05 or lower is called "statistically significant", in reality, the significance of this statistic varies; the threshold of statistical significance differs in each set up. The use of this term to mean 0.05 or less results from not doing work to analyze the proper threshold level. Many journals and research papers use a p-value of 0.05 or less without regard to the process being examined, to be statistically significant. This p-value of 0.05 or less and the term "statistically significant" were defined by Sir Ronald Aylmer Fisher, though his thought experiment that founded the framework for determining it used a p-value of 1.5% (0.015)
• More generally, "statistically significant" means "unlikely to have occurred by random chance," specifically, at least as unlikely as the threshold of statistical significance.

Related terms

• statistical significance
• statistical
• significant

See also

• two sigma / 2 sigma / 2σ (1-in-20)
• three sigma / 3 sigma / 3σ (99.7% good or 0.003 bad)
• five sigma / 5 sigma / 5σ (1-in-a-million; the "gold standard")
• six sigma / 6 sigma / 6σ (1-in-a-half-billion)