Why can trying several analyses and reporting only a significant one invalidate the advertised error rate?
- Each analysis retains the advertised rate, so selection leaves the overall rate unchanged
- Selection creates extra chances for a false positive
- Sharing observations makes all analysis results identical, eliminating any selection effect
Which entry belongs in a pre-registration of the primary analysis?
- The outcome, exclusion rule and model
- The model selected later from whichever subgroup has the smallest p-value
- The final hypothesis reconstructed from the pattern observed after collection
Pre-registration prohibits exploratory analyses after collection.
Circle one: True False
A draft specifies its outcome and sample target but says only 'analyse appropriately'. Which addition resolves the primary-analysis ambiguity?
- Specify model, covariates and missing-data handling
- Specify that several models will be tried and the most significant one called primary
- Specify that the primary model will be chosen after examining the treatment-group results
A team repeatedly applies an ordinary fixed-sample efficacy test and stops at its first significant result. What can happen?
- The stated alpha still bounds the whole procedure because every individual look uses it
- The stopping decision changes power but cannot change the null rejection probability
- The overall false positive rate can exceed alpha
Nonsignificant studies are rarely published. What can a reader conclude about the visible literature?
- It estimates all attempted studies without bias if the published studies report their individual p-values
- It may represent a selected portion of the evidence
- It determines the proportion of false findings without information about unpublished studies
A trial needs safety monitoring and interim efficacy decisions. Which plan addresses the repeated-testing risk?
- Specify safety rules and calibrated sequential efficacy boundaries
- Keep the ordinary efficacy threshold at every look because the maximum sample size was registered
- Adjust only the final efficacy test while allowing earlier stopping at ordinary significance thresholds
A hypothesis was developed after inspecting results but is reported as pre-planned. What correction is needed?
- Call it confirmatory because the hypothesis has a plausible scientific explanation
- Keep the pre-planned label if the reported p-value passes the original threshold
- Report its timing and exploratory status