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The Cult of statistical significance - A Review

Author

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  • Sripad Motiram

    (Indira Gandhi Institute of Development Research)

Abstract

I present a review and extended discussion of The Cult of Statistical Significance: How the Standard Error Costs Us Jobs, Justice and Lives by Deirdre McCloskey and Stephen Ziliak, a work that raises important issues related to the practice of statistics and that has been widely commented upon. For this review, I draw upon several other works on statistics and my personal experiences as a teacher of undergraduate econometrics.

Suggested Citation

  • Sripad Motiram, 2014. "The Cult of statistical significance - A Review," Indira Gandhi Institute of Development Research, Mumbai Working Papers 2014-038, Indira Gandhi Institute of Development Research, Mumbai, India.
    • Handle: RePEc:ind:igiwpp:2014-038
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    File URL: http://www.igidr.ac.in/pdf/publication/WP-2014-038.pdf
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Kevin Hoover & Mark Siegler, 2008. "Sound and fury: McCloskey and significance testing in economics," Journal of Economic Methodology, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 15(1), pages 1-37.
    2. Spanos,Aris, 1999. "Probability Theory and Statistical Inference," Cambridge Books, Cambridge University Press, number 9780521424080.
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Significance; Standard Error; Application of Statistics; Methodology;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • C1 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Econometric and Statistical Methods and Methodology: General
    • C12 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Econometric and Statistical Methods and Methodology: General - - - Hypothesis Testing: General

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