uResults from
larger studies with more subjects
are more significant
than results from
smaller studies (all other factors being equal).
Beware of small
studies claiming great significance !
uStudies with
control groups are better than ones
without !
uThe P-value specifies the
probability of obtaining a result as or more or extreme than the result observed due to chance alone,
so small P-values
(less than or <.05=5%) are good, but P<.01 is better !
uThe 95% confidence interval (CI) specifies a range for the (unknown)
true result that is compatible with the
(known) observed result.
It means that if a study could be repeated 100 times,
the true result
would fall within the confidence interval 95% of the time.
uAn Odds Ratio (OR) is the odds of
a having particular outcome or disease given a particular exposure or other factor (such as a genetic
abnormality) compared to the odds
of having the same outcome without the exposure.
An OR>1.5 is
usually considered significant, but >2 is very significant
(it means the
odds in the exposed are TWICE those of the unexposed)