February, 2003
© 2000, 2001, 2003 Scott S. Emerson, M.D., Ph.D.
Session 1- Overview: 20
Role of Statistical Inference
Why Statistics?
Observations Subject to Error
·In the real world, few patterns are deterministic
-Hidden (unmeasured) variables
-Inherent randomness
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Goal is to use a sample to identify treatments that are truly beneficial
Problem is similar to that in diagnostic testing in patients