The Effective Use of Statistical Tests

By the end of this module, learners should be able to:

  • Describe how Type I errors and Type II errors can occur and why there is a trade-off between them,
  • Summarize the relationships among significance level, Type I errors, and P-values,
  • Define power and describe its role in statistical tests,
  • Explain various ways elements of statistical tests can be adjusted to increase power,
  • Identify common mistakes related to inappropriate application and interpretation of statistical tests and how to avoid them,
  • Discuss the role of sample size in statistical testing,
  • Appropriately compare a confidence interval to a corresponding statistical test,
  • Critique the appropriate application of statistical tests based on the context in which the data were collected and how the test (or tests) was (were) carried out.

Topics covered in this module

Expected time to complete the learning resources in this module:  1.5 hours.

Learning resources:

  1. ‎Data Used in this Module
  2. ‎Power and Type I and Type II Errors (video)
  3. Power for Testing a Proportion (interactive app)
  4. ‎Some General Advice About Statistical Tests (video)
  5. Connection Between Confidence Intervals and Testing (video)