Getting started with statistical hypothesis testing — a simple z-test

Statistical hypothesis testing allows us to make decisions in the presence of incomplete data. By definition, these decisions are uncertain. Statisticians have developed rigorous methods to evaluate this risk. Nevertheless, some subjectivity is always involved in the decision-making process. The theory is just a tool that helps us make decisions in an uncertain world.

Here, we introduce the most basic ideas behind statistical hypothesis testing. We will follow a particularly simple example: coin tossing. More precisely, we will show how to perform a z-test, and we will briefly explain the mathematical ideas underlying it. This kind of method (also called the frequentist method), although widely used in science, is not without flaws and interpretation difficulties. We will show another approach based on Bayesian theory later in this chapter. It is very helpful to understand both approaches.

Getting ready

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