On Thu, 13 Apr 2000, Robert Dawson wrote:
> Michael Granaas wrote:
>
>
> > If n = 10 and I cannot reject a null of 100 I certainly agree that the
> > corroboration value is low. But, if n = 100 and I can't reject a null of
> > 100 I am starting to see support for 100 as a correct value. If n = 500
> > and I cannot reject a null of 100 would you still demand that I had no
> > evidence supporting the null?
>
> Yes, given that mu=100.5 is part of the alternative
>
> How about if n = 1000?
>
> Yes, given that mu=100.1 is part of the alternative
>
> 10,000?
>
> Yes, given that mu=100.05 is part of the alternative.
>
> And note that repeating any of these will give the same result with high
> probability: you cannot, then, assume that a long sequence of tests with
> n=10,000, most failing to reject mu=100, provide any evidence whatsoever
> that mu is not equal, say, to 100.1 .
And so we have reached the logical conclusion that we can never know
anything. Even with data from the full population we have the problem of
measurement error. Although I suppose for the purposes of discussion we
could assume that measurement error perfectly cancels out so that we can
at least know something if we have data from the full population.
So, having eliminated all the choices outside of some limited range,
perhaps 99.9 - 100.1, and absent population data, what do we do?
Michael
>
> -Robert Dawson
>
>
*******************************************************************
Michael M. Granaas
Associate Professor [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Department of Psychology
University of South Dakota Phone: (605) 677-5295
Vermillion, SD 57069 FAX: (605) 677-6604
*******************************************************************
All views expressed are those of the author and do not necessarily
reflect those of the University of South Dakota, or the South
Dakota Board of Regents.
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