American Statistical Association leader coming to Purdue to address 'statistical significance' controversy

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. — For nearly 100 years, the concept of “statistical significance” has been fundamental to decision making in science. The concept has been controversial and often misapplied for nearly that long.

In a Jan. 24 presentation at Purdue, Ron Wasserstein, executive director of the American Statistical Association, will describe the controversy in a non-technical, and generally humorous way. Wasserstein’s Advanced Methodologies at Purdue (AMAP) presentation will begin at 3 p.m. at Stewart Center’s Fowler Hall, followed by a 4 p.m. audience Q&A and panel discussion featuring Wasserstein; Paul Draper, professor of philosophy and religious studies; Trenton Mize, assistant professor of sociology; and Sharon Crist, associate professor of human development and family studies and statistics.

Wasserstein’s lecture, “Moving to a World Beyond p < 0.05,” will explain why he calls for an end to the use of statistical significance as a means of determining the value of scientific results. Although making this change would be difficult within the scientific community, Wasserstein argues that it would be good for science and for statistics, since often-arbitrary significance cutoffs can undermine scientific discovery.

As explained by the event coordinators, Crist and Kristine Marceau (both in the Department of Human Development and Family Studies), Jay McCann (professor of political science), and Mize, “The ‘Advanced Methods at Purdue’ group was formed to enhance the training and expertise of Purdue’s behavioral, health, and social scientists. A fundamental feature of methodological rigor is determining what results are – or are not – meaningful. Dr. Wasserstein provides a much-needed perspective on how we can make better decisions about our research.”

AMAP hosts a number of seminars, workshops, invited lectures, symposiums and receptions that allow for networking both within and outside of Purdue. Additional spring semester events are posted on the group’s calendar.

Wasserstein’s visit is co-sponsored by the College of Liberal Arts, the College of Health and Human Sciences, and the Department of Statistics and the Integrative Data Science Initiative at Purdue.

Purdue News Service contact: Joseph Paul, 765-494-9541, paul102@purdue.edu

Source: Jay McCann, 765-494-0738, mccannj@purdue.edu