Null Hypothesis, Statistical Significance and Power

Abstract

The strategic purpose of a scientific work is to demonstrate a hypothesis proposed by the authors. The hypothesis arises from their own anecdotic observations or previous scientific works or from papers previously published by other authors. The primary requirement for a scientific study is an idea we want to verify by means of a series of facts. The facts could also be those which other authors have already described (e.g. meta-analysis — see Chapter 8). Hence, we can say that the only technology we absolutely need is the neuronal circuitry of our brains as evolved primates.