p value and confidence intervals

Abstract

In any research after obtaining the results, the researcher wants to know whether the results obtained are statistically significant or not. The statistical significance is usually expressed as p value or confidence intervals. The readers are usually fascinated only by a significant p value without understanding its real statistical interpretation and clinical relevance. The concept of confidence interval is important to understand as it describes the magnitude of statistical significance. We hereby attempt to describe these concepts in a simple way without getting into statistical complexities.

Keywords

• p value
• confidence interval
• statistical significance