When is the null hypothesis rejected?
Understand the Problem
The question is asking about the conditions under which the null hypothesis is rejected in statistical hypothesis testing. Typically, this occurs when the p-value is less than the significance level (alpha), indicating that the observed data is unlikely under the assumption that the null hypothesis is true.
Answer
When the p-value is less than or equal to your significance level.
You reject the null hypothesis when the p-value is less than or equal to your significance level.
Answer for screen readers
You reject the null hypothesis when the p-value is less than or equal to your significance level.
More Information
The significance level, often denoted by α (alpha), is typically set at 0.05 or 0.01, representing a 5% or 1% chance of rejecting the null hypothesis when it is actually true (Type I error).
Tips
A common mistake is to conclude acceptance of the null hypothesis when the p-value is high. However, failing to reject the null hypothesis does not mean it is true; it simply means there is not enough evidence against it.
Sources
- Understanding Null Hypothesis Testing - BC Open Textbooks - opentextbc.ca
- Support or Reject Null Hypothesis in Easy Steps - Statistics How To - statisticshowto.com
- Hypothesis Testing - Significance levels and rejecting or accepting - statistics.laerd.com
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