If a study reports p = 0.18 and alpha is 0.05, the conclusion is

If a study reports p = 0.18 and alpha is 0.05, the conclusion is

• A. Statistically significant
• B. Not statistically significant
• C. The alternative hypothesis is proven
• D. Sample size is insufficient

Answer: (B)

Understanding significance tests: the p-value tells you how compatible the observed data are with the null hypothesis. A p-value of 0.18 means the observed result would occur about 18% of the time if there were no real effect. With an alpha of 0.05, this p-value is not small enough to declare significance, so you fail to reject the null. The conclusion, then, is that the result is not statistically significant at the 5% level. This does not prove there is no effect or that the alternative hypothesis is true. It also doesn’t by itself indicate that the sample size is insufficient; that would require additional power or design information.

Understanding significance tests: the p-value tells you how compatible the observed data are with the null hypothesis. A p-value of 0.18 means the observed result would occur about 18% of the time if there were no real effect. With an alpha of 0.05, this p-value is not small enough to declare significance, so you fail to reject the null. The conclusion, then, is that the result is not statistically significant at the 5% level. This does not prove there is no effect or that the alternative hypothesis is true. It also doesn’t by itself indicate that the sample size is insufficient; that would require additional power or design information.