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Science

Bernardo de La Paz

(58,645 posts)

2. There is a difference between "need" and "use"

Reply to NNadir (Original post)

Sat Sep 20, 2025, 05:41 AM

Saturday

I think the point is that a goal is to have the design tease out the effect under study so that it is so obvious you don't need statistics, and then prove how obvious it is with statistics.

Not need statistics but use statistics to make it unassailable.

You can combine copper sulphate solution with sodium carbonate solution and get a precipitate 20 out of 20 times. You don't need statistics to show that it produces a precipitate, although you can call 20 out of 20 a statistic if you like.

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Highlight:

Offending the Analyst, the view "if you need to use statistics, then you have not designed your experiment very well". [View all] NNadir Friday OP

My first thought is that the authors were referencing the use of the P-value erronis Friday #1

I have always used a "shotgun" approach to literature. I'm so old that it used to involve bringing loads of... NNadir Saturday #3

There is a difference between "need" and "use" Bernardo de La Paz Saturday #2

Regulatory Agencies Would Shut Labs Down Without Statistical Analysis. NNadir Monday #5

Likewise, there is a difference between the ideal experiment that is convincing on the face of it and the Bernardo de La Paz Monday #6

Thank you for focusing on the statistics of my finger thickness on cell phone keys. NNadir Monday #7

I can understand what they're saying -- if statistics are all you have, that might draw skepticism -- but some things eppur_se_muova Monday #4