{
  "$schema": "https://terraevidence.com/evidence-record.schema.json",
  "recordId": "EP-PUB-006",
  "version": "1.0",
  "status": {
    "code": "reviewed-for-stated-scope",
    "label": "Reviewed for stated scope",
    "meaning": "Checked for the stated wording, sources, methods, context, limits, and review period; not universally proven."
  },
  "topic": "Statistical interpretation",
  "title": "Statistical significance is not practical importance.",
  "claim": "A p-value crossing a threshold does not by itself establish that an observed effect is large, useful, durable, causal, or transferable.",
  "summary": "Statistical significance addresses how data compare with a specified model and null hypothesis; it does not measure effect size, practical value, or the probability that a scientific claim is true. Interpret the estimated effect with its uncertainty, design, assumptions, sample size, outcome definition, and real-world decision context.",
  "evidenceSupports": [
    "Report the estimated effect and its uncertainty, not only whether a p-value crosses a threshold. Preserve the study design, sample size, model assumptions, outcome definition, analysis choices, and practical threshold that would make the effect useful. Consider the full body of relevant evidence rather than treating one dichotomized result as a verdict."
  ],
  "doesNotEstablish": [
    "A small p-value does not by itself show that an effect is large, important, probable, causal, reproducible, or applicable elsewhere. A large p-value does not by itself show that an effect is absent or unimportant. Large samples can make small effects statistically detectable, while small samples can leave practically important effects uncertain."
  ],
  "sources": [
    {
      "sourceId": "EP-PUB-006-S1",
      "sourceType": "primary-publication",
      "institution": "American Statistical Association",
      "title": "The ASA's Statement on p-Values: Context, Process, and Purpose",
      "url": "https://doi.org/10.1080/00031305.2016.1154108",
      "relevance": "States that p-values do not measure effect size or importance, do not provide the probability that a hypothesis is true, and should not alone determine scientific or policy decisions."
    },
    {
      "sourceId": "EP-PUB-006-S2",
      "sourceType": "primary-publication",
      "institution": "American Statistical Association",
      "title": "Moving to a World Beyond p < 0.05",
      "url": "https://doi.org/10.1080/00031305.2019.1583913",
      "relevance": "Explains why a threshold label cannot establish the truth, presence, or importance of an effect and argues for interpretation in scientific context without bright-line declarations."
    },
    {
      "sourceId": "EP-PUB-006-S3",
      "sourceType": "institutional-guidance",
      "institution": "National Institute of Standards and Technology",
      "title": "Quantitative Techniques — Practical Versus Statistical Significance",
      "url": "https://www.itl.nist.gov/div898/handbook/eda/section3/eda35.htm",
      "relevance": "Distinguishes statistical from practical significance and shows how sample size can make a small difference statistically detectable or leave a large practical difference statistically uncertain."
    }
  ],
  "scope": {
    "reviewedPeriod": "2026-08",
    "applicability": [
      "Interpreting p-values, significance labels, and threshold-based claims in soil, plant, agricultural, and related experimental research."
    ],
    "limitations": [
      "Does not prohibit hypothesis tests or establish one universal replacement; it limits conclusions drawn from a threshold without effect estimates, uncertainty, design, assumptions, and decision context.",
      "Does not determine whether a particular treatment is useful and does not provide personalized fertilizer, lime, amendment, crop, environmental, pest-control, or safety recommendations."
    ],
    "openQuestion": "Which effect sizes and practical thresholds are meaningful for specific soil and garden outcomes across different climates, soils, crops, time scales, and decision costs?"
  },
  "useBoundary": "This reviewed record supports careful interpretation of statistical evidence. It does not determine that a particular treatment works, convert a p-value into causal or practical proof, or provide personalized fertilizer, lime, amendment, crop, environmental, pest-control, or safety recommendations. Preserve effect size, uncertainty, study design, assumptions, outcome definition, and application limits, and seek qualified statistical or domain guidance when a consequential decision requires it.",
  "humanReadableUrl": "https://terraevidence.com/earth-project-reviewed-foundations#ep-pub-006",
  "machineReadableUrl": "https://terraevidence.com/evidence-records/ep-pub-006.json",
  "revision": {
    "version": "1.0",
    "publishedDate": "2026-08-17",
    "lastReviewedPeriod": "2026-08"
  }
}