NUR 80A/B Lecture Notes - Lecture 11: Statistical Significance, Data Analysis, Jargon
19 Oct 2015
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Document Summary
A careful analysis of study results involves an evaluation of whether, in addition to being statistically significant, they are important. Statistical significance indicates that the results were unlikely to be due to chance, meaning that the observed group differences or relationships were probably real but not necessarily important. With large samples, even modest relationships can be statistically significant. Example: with a sample of 500 participants, a correlation coefficient of . 10 is significant at the . 05 level, but a relationship of this magnitude might have little practical value. Research findings do not necessarily need to reveal new insights to be important, especially in an evidence-based practice environment. To build a strong base of knowledge upon which practice decisions are made, findings that can be replicated are quite important. The aim of most nursing research is to develop evidence for use in nursing practice.
