In a scientific study, what does a p-value less than 0.05 typically indicate?
Difficulty: Medium
About this MCQ
Medium ACT item. Correct choice: A. The result is considered statistically significant.
- A. The result is considered statistically significant ✓
- B. The experiment failed
Why not B: “The experiment failed” is not The result is considered statistically significant.
- C. The sample size was too small
Why not C: “The sample size was too small” is not The result is considered statistically significant.
- D. The hypothesis is definitely true
Why not D: “The hypothesis is definitely true” is not The result is considered statistically significant.
Correct answer
A. The result is considered statistically significant
Explanation
A p-value below 0.05 is a conventional threshold indicating the observed result is unlikely to be due to random chance, so it's considered statistically significant — though this does not prove the hypothesis with certainty.
Source: Original practice question, MCQsHub
Tags: Science, American Exams, ACT, Statistics
Submitted by: MCQsHub Editorial
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