Establishing Hypotheses

Vocabulary flashcards based on lecture notes about establishing and testing hypotheses in statistical research.

Hypotheses

Scientific questions that are turned into quantifiable outcomes.

PPDAC Cycle

An acronym for Problem, Plan, Data Analysis, and Conclusion; it describes the cycle of scientific evidence gathering.

Null Hypothesis

The hypothesis that attaches a unique value to the parameter concerned, often representing no effect.

Alternative Hypothesis

The hypothesis-of-interest that is tested against the null hypothesis.

Statistical Significance

A result that is unlikely to have occurred under the null hypothesis, often determined by a p-value.

Random Variables

Measurable quantities that vary within a population, either continuously, discretely, or categorically.

Continuous Random Variables

Variables that can take any value within a range, e.g., weight and height.

Discrete Random Variables

Variables that can take specific, separate values, e.g., number of children or clinical events.

Categorical Random Variables

Variables that represent categories, e.g., sex or treatment groups.

Pilot Studies

Small preliminary studies conducted to test the feasibility of research methods.

Control Group

A group in an experiment that does not receive the treatment and is used for comparison.

Bias

Systematic error that leads to false conclusions in a study.

Confounding

A situation where the effect of the primary variable is mixed with that of another variable.

Systematic Component

The average or typical behavior of a response variable in a study.

Random Component

Characteristics of a probability distribution other than its mean; includes variability.

Falsificationist Logic

A principle where a hypothesis is considered valid until evidence against it is found.

Effect Sizes

Quantitative measures of the magnitude of a phenomenon, comparing groups.

Relative Risk

Ratio of the probability of an event occurring in the treatment group compared to the control.

Odds Ratio

A measure of association between exposure and an outcome, comparing odds in two groups.

Response Variable

The variable that is predicted or affected in an experiment.

Explanatory Variable

The variable used to predict or explain changes in the response variable.

Statistical Methods

Techniques applied to data to infer properties or test hypotheses.

Theoretical Framework

An underlying structure that guides research and hypothesis formation.

Data Collection

The systematic approach to gathering information for analysis.

Study Design

The plan for how to conduct a study, including measurements and population.

Randomisation

The process of randomly assigning participants to different treatment groups to minimize bias.

Pilot Study

A small-scale preliminary study conducted to test feasibility before a larger study.

Statistical Power

The probability that a test correctly rejects the null hypothesis when it is false.

P-value

A measure that helps determine the significance of results in hypothesis testing.

Confidence Interval

A range of values that is likely to contain the true parameter with a specified level of confidence.

Human Factors

Elements influencing the behavior and performance of subjects in a research study.

Statistical Inference

The process of drawing conclusions about a population based on a sample.

Biological Significance

The practical importance of a study's findings in a biological context.

Clinical Significance

The real-world importance of a treatment effect, beyond statistical significance.