About this resource

    Type of resources
    Primary Source, Reading, Paper
    Education level(s)
    College / Upper Division (Undergraduates)
    Primary user(s)
    Student
    Subject area(s)
    Math & Statistics
    Language(s)
    English
    Cluster
    Conceptual and Statistical Knowledge
    Last updated
    29 October 2026
    Primary SourceReadingPaper

    The fickle P value generates irreproducible results

    By Lewis G Halsey, Douglas Curran-Everett, Sarah L Vowler, Gordon B Drummond

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    Level College / Upper Division (Undergraduates) · For Student · Language English

    Abstract

    The reliability and reproducibility of science are under scrutiny. However, a major cause of this lack of repeatability is not being considered: the wide sample-to-sample variability in the P value. We explain why P is fickle to discourage the ill-informed practice of interpreting analyses based predominantly on this statistic.