Determining true difference between treatment groups

Abstract

In this article, the author reviews the P value and how it is used to determine true difference of outcome in treatment groups. P value, standard deviation, standard error of the mean, bias, and confidence interval are discussed in common language, with a minimum of jargon and with clinical examples.

Keywords

• P value
• standard error of the mean
• central limits theorem
• standard deviation
• normal distribution
• statistics
• parametric statistics
• bias
• randomization