{"id":"https://openalex.org/W70416328","doi":null,"title":"The Rise of Statistical Significance Testing in Public Administration Research and Why This Is a Mistake","display_name":"The Rise of Statistical Significance Testing in Public Administration Research and Why This Is a Mistake","publication_year":2013,"publication_date":"2013-04-01","ids":{"openalex":"https://openalex.org/W70416328","mag":"70416328"},"language":"en","primary_location":{"id":"mag:70416328","doi":null,"is_oa":false,"landing_page_url":"https://www.questia.com/library/journal/1P3-3112317581/the-rise-of-statistical-significance-testing-in-public","pdf_url":null,"source":{"id":"https://openalex.org/S2764658414","display_name":"Journal of business and behavioral sciences","issn_l":"1099-5374","issn":["1099-5374"],"is_oa":false,"is_in_doaj":false,"is_core":false,"listed_in":[],"host_organization":null,"host_organization_name":null,"host_organization_lineage":[],"host_organization_lineage_names":[],"type":"journal"},"license":null,"license_id":null,"version":null,"is_accepted":false,"is_published":false,"raw_source_name":"Journal of business and behavioral sciences","raw_type":null},"volume":null,"type":"article","is_traditional":true,"indexed_in":[],"open_access":{"is_oa":false,"oa_status":"closed","oa_url":null,"any_repository_has_fulltext":false},"authorships":[{"author_position":"first","author":{"id":"https://openalex.org/A5108244402","display_name":"Raymond Hubbard","orcid":null,"observed_orcids":[]},"institutions":[],"countries":[],"is_corresponding":false,"raw_author_name":"Raymond Hubbard","raw_affiliation_strings":[],"raw_orcid":null,"affiliations":[]},{"author_position":"last","author":{"id":"https://openalex.org/A5111380303","display_name":"C. Kenneth Meyer","orcid":null,"observed_orcids":[]},"institutions":[],"countries":[],"is_corresponding":false,"raw_author_name":"C. Kenneth Meyer","raw_affiliation_strings":[],"raw_orcid":null,"affiliations":[]}],"institutions":[],"countries_distinct_count":0,"institutions_distinct_count":0,"corresponding_author_ids":[],"corresponding_institution_ids":[],"apc_list":null,"apc_paid":null,"fwci":0.0,"has_fulltext":false,"cited_by_count":5,"citation_normalized_percentile":{"value":0.0,"is_in_top_1_percent":false,"is_in_top_10_percent":false},"cited_by_percentile_year":{"min":88,"max":96},"biblio":{"volume":"25","issue":"1","first_page":"4","last_page":null},"is_retracted":false,"is_paratext":false,"is_xpac":false,"primary_topic":{"id":"https://openalex.org/T13721","display_name":"Political Science Research and Education","score":0.34450000524520874,"subfield":{"id":"https://openalex.org/subfields/3320","display_name":"Political Science and International Relations"},"field":{"id":"https://openalex.org/fields/33","display_name":"Social Sciences"},"domain":{"id":"https://openalex.org/domains/2","display_name":"Social Sciences"}},"topics":[{"id":"https://openalex.org/T13721","display_name":"Political Science Research and Education","score":0.34450000524520874,"subfield":{"id":"https://openalex.org/subfields/3320","display_name":"Political Science and International Relations"},"field":{"id":"https://openalex.org/fields/33","display_name":"Social Sciences"},"domain":{"id":"https://openalex.org/domains/2","display_name":"Social Sciences"}},{"id":"https://openalex.org/T10213","display_name":"Public Policy and Administration Research","score":0.2418999969959259,"subfield":{"id":"https://openalex.org/subfields/3321","display_name":"Public Administration"},"field":{"id":"https://openalex.org/fields/33","display_name":"Social Sciences"},"domain":{"id":"https://openalex.org/domains/2","display_name":"Social Sciences"}},{"id":"https://openalex.org/T10243","display_name":"Statistical Methods and Bayesian Inference","score":0.05380000174045563,"subfield":{"id":"https://openalex.org/subfields/2613","display_name":"Statistics and Probability"},"field":{"id":"https://openalex.org/fields/26","display_name":"Mathematics"},"domain":{"id":"https://openalex.org/domains/3","display_name":"Physical Sciences"}}],"keywords":[{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/statistical-significance-testing","display_name":"statistical significance testing","score":0.9480000138282776},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/null-hypothesis-significance-testing","display_name":"null hypothesis significance testing","score":0.8650000095367432},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/p-values","display_name":"p-values","score":0.9769999980926514},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/public-administration-research","display_name":"public administration research","score":0.9010000228881836},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/effect-size","display_name":"effect size","score":0.765999972820282},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/confidence-intervals","display_name":"confidence intervals","score":0.9950000047683716},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/critical-realism","display_name":"critical realism","score":0.6230000257492065},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/post-positivism","display_name":"post-positivism","score":0.8899999856948853},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/cumulative-knowledge","display_name":"cumulative knowledge","score":0.5740000009536743},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/quantitative-and-qualitative-methods","display_name":"qualitative and quantitative methods","score":0.6620000004768372},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/research-methodology","display_name":"research methodology","score":0.39100000262260437},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/american-political-science-review","display_name":"American Political Science Review","score":0.7770000100135803},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/american-journal-of-political-science","display_name":"American Journal of Political Science","score":0.9610000252723694},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/practical-significance","display_name":"practical significance","score":0.5350000262260437},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/philosophy-of-science","display_name":"philosophy of science","score":0.4880000054836273}],"concepts":[{"id":"https://openalex.org/C191988596","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q628374","display_name":"Null hypothesis","level":2,"score":0.7476190328598022},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C2777179996","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q911222","display_name":"Mistake","level":2,"score":0.6163564324378967},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C2778223634","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q224952","display_name":"Suspect","level":2,"score":0.5777047872543335},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C118084267","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q26110","display_name":"Positive economics","level":1,"score":0.5283416509628296},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C2778449503","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q329777","display_name":"Appeal","level":2,"score":0.5103049278259277},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C87007009","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q210832","display_name":"Statistical hypothesis testing","level":2,"score":0.48481622338294983},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C2776291640","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q2912517","display_name":"Value (mathematics)","level":2,"score":0.46782320737838745},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C94625758","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q7163","display_name":"Politics","level":2,"score":0.43257856369018555},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C120577422","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q843558","display_name":"Alternative hypothesis","level":3,"score":0.422437846660614},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C15744967","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q9418","display_name":"Psychology","level":0,"score":0.3981301188468933},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C111472728","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q9471","display_name":"Epistemology","level":1,"score":0.3320055603981018},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C77805123","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q161272","display_name":"Social psychology","level":1,"score":0.3315609395503998},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C17744445","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q36442","display_name":"Political science","level":0,"score":0.3081357777118683},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C199539241","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q7748","display_name":"Law","level":1,"score":0.21466666460037231},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C162324750","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q8134","display_name":"Economics","level":0,"score":0.1977158784866333},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C105795698","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q12483","display_name":"Statistics","level":1,"score":0.1960238814353943},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C149782125","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q160039","display_name":"Econometrics","level":1,"score":0.14864876866340637},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C33923547","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q395","display_name":"Mathematics","level":0,"score":0.13337182998657227},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C73484699","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q161733","display_name":"Criminology","level":1,"score":0.12934914231300354},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C138885662","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q5891","display_name":"Philosophy","level":0,"score":0.0}],"mesh":[],"locations_count":1,"locations":[{"id":"mag:70416328","doi":null,"is_oa":false,"landing_page_url":"https://www.questia.com/library/journal/1P3-3112317581/the-rise-of-statistical-significance-testing-in-public","pdf_url":null,"source":{"id":"https://openalex.org/S2764658414","display_name":"Journal of business and behavioral sciences","issn_l":"1099-5374","issn":["1099-5374"],"is_oa":false,"is_in_doaj":false,"is_core":false,"listed_in":[],"host_organization":null,"host_organization_name":null,"host_organization_lineage":[],"host_organization_lineage_names":[],"type":"journal"},"license":null,"license_id":null,"version":null,"is_accepted":false,"is_published":false,"raw_source_name":"Journal of business and behavioral sciences","raw_type":null}],"best_oa_location":null,"sustainable_development_goals":[],"study_designs":[],"awards":[],"funders":[],"has_content":{"pdf":false,"grobid_xml":false},"content_urls":null,"referenced_works_count":42,"referenced_works":["https://openalex.org/W25212185","https://openalex.org/W178774627","https://openalex.org/W1489731037","https://openalex.org/W1515242458","https://openalex.org/W1533179050","https://openalex.org/W1539998288","https://openalex.org/W1550659230","https://openalex.org/W1913875882","https://openalex.org/W1963784449","https://openalex.org/W1965436337","https://openalex.org/W1980957386","https://openalex.org/W1985808424","https://openalex.org/W1987511393","https://openalex.org/W1992850407","https://openalex.org/W1993725118","https://openalex.org/W1995282106","https://openalex.org/W2018175511","https://openalex.org/W2021276884","https://openalex.org/W2030360178","https://openalex.org/W2031615045","https://openalex.org/W2045767629","https://openalex.org/W2056842308","https://openalex.org/W2061131246","https://openalex.org/W2073997076","https://openalex.org/W2074941944","https://openalex.org/W2079297380","https://openalex.org/W2084485898","https://openalex.org/W2100320591","https://openalex.org/W2101132953","https://openalex.org/W2112223757","https://openalex.org/W2112555225","https://openalex.org/W2116618538","https://openalex.org/W2128404582","https://openalex.org/W2131046448","https://openalex.org/W2147941957","https://openalex.org/W2158501370","https://openalex.org/W2163211688","https://openalex.org/W2165719008","https://openalex.org/W2165944832","https://openalex.org/W2314951905","https://openalex.org/W3124154691","https://openalex.org/W4243252020"],"related_works":["https://openalex.org/W3087830240","https://openalex.org/W2980099564","https://openalex.org/W4396616775","https://openalex.org/W2081119314","https://openalex.org/W2062192064","https://openalex.org/W2056842308","https://openalex.org/W2137772028","https://openalex.org/W4309865870","https://openalex.org/W1900594989","https://openalex.org/W2985538276"],"abstract_inverted_index":{"ABSTRACT:The":[0],"growth":[1,40],"of":[2,35,46,82,96,139,148,163,212,227,232,238,249,261,271,315,325,330,334,347,381,384,389,447,493,503,532,543,575,590],"statistical":[3,67,569],"significance":[4,68,166,231,570],"testing":[5,151,167],"in":[6,9,61,118,258,483,500,587],"articles":[7],"published":[8],"the":[10,15,26,32,97,131,136,160,225,229,235,247,269,323,360,366,377,387,400,451,491,501,541,565,588,591],"Public":[11,272,592],"Administration":[12,273,278,593],"Review":[13,30,594],"for":[14,90,126,179,311],"period":[16],"1945":[17],"through":[18,443],"2008":[19],"is":[20,64,75,93,133,168,171,391,404,409,433,442,456,474,572,581],"examined.":[21],"Comparisons":[22],"with":[23,70,99,306,519,552,559,584],"sister":[24],"journals,":[25,267],"American":[27,33],"Political":[28,36],"Science":[29],"and":[31,45,78,108,114,188,206,234,264,275,277,279,295,299,363,407,465,486],"Journal":[34,270],"Science,":[37],"show":[38],"this":[39,62,91,320,372,444,523,544],"to":[41,85,106,173,313,337,355,392,429,436,458,463,467,490,540],"be":[42,174,215,427,507,526],"less":[43],"emphatic":[44],"more":[47],"recent":[48],"origin":[49],"than":[50],"theirs.":[51],"That":[52,469],"public":[53,103,262,265],"administration":[54,104,263],"researchers":[55,105],"are":[56,207,327],"not":[57,413,434,471,525],"yet":[58],"quite":[59],"entrenched":[60],"practice":[63,138],"good":[65],"because":[66],"testing,":[69],"its":[71,557],"focus":[72,211],"on":[73,142,185,216,319,359,365,460],"p-values,":[74,100],"largely":[76],"ritualistic":[77],"adds":[79],"almost":[80],"nothing":[81],"scientific":[83,155,177,204,218,452],"value":[84,482],"a":[86,123,143,259,331,529,533,568,573],"study.":[87],"The":[88,210],"justification":[89],"conclusion":[92],"presented.":[94],"Instead":[95],"infatuation":[98],"we":[101,308,514],"encourage":[102],"report":[107],"interpret":[109],"sample":[110],"statistics,":[111],"effect":[112],"sizes,":[113],"their":[115],"confidence":[116],"intervals":[117],"empirical":[119,437,576],"work.":[120,555],"This":[121,537,578],"offers":[122],"better":[124],"prospect":[125],"developing":[127],"cumulative":[128],"knowledge":[129,239,383,398,403,424,432,473,494],"within":[130],"field.INTRODUCTIONIt":[132],"evident":[134],"that":[135,159,169,450,510],"current":[137],"focusing":[140,184],"exclusively":[141],"dichotomous":[144],"reject-nonreject":[145],"decision":[146],"strategy":[147],"null":[149,164,190],"hypothesis":[150,165],"can":[152,498],"actually":[153,192],"impede":[154],"progress.":[156],"I":[157],"suspect":[158],"continuing":[161],"appeal":[162],"it":[170,415],"considered":[172],"an":[175,352],"objective":[176],"procedure":[178],"advancing":[180],"knowledge.":[181],"In":[182,370],"fact,":[183],"p":[186],"values":[187],"rejecting":[189],"hypotheses":[191,205],"distracts":[193],"us":[194,223,326,539],"from":[195,322,567],"our":[196,203,217,303,316,382,512],"real":[197],"goals:":[198],"deciding":[199],"whether":[200],"data":[201,221],"support":[202],"practically":[208],"significant.":[209],"research":[213,253,488,535],"should":[214,524],"hypotheses,":[219],"what":[220],"tell":[222],"about":[224,399],"magnitude":[226],"effects,":[228,233],"practical":[230],"steady":[236],"accumulation":[237],"(Kirk,":[240],"2003,":[241],"p.":[242],"100).A":[243],"heated":[244],"debate":[245,321],"over":[246,454],"merits":[248],"quantitative":[250,485,520,534,554],"versus":[251],"qualitative":[252,487],"methodologies":[254],"has":[255],"occurred":[256],"recently":[257],"number":[260],"policy":[266],"especially":[268],"Research":[274],"Theory":[276],"Society":[280],"(see,":[281],"e.g.,":[282],"Gill,":[283],"J.,":[284],"&":[285],"Meier,":[286],"K.":[287],"J.":[288],"(2000);":[289],"Luton,":[290],"2007,":[291],"2008;":[292,297],"Lynn,":[293],"Heinrich,":[294],"Hill,":[296],"Meier":[298],"O'Toole,":[300],"2007).":[301],"Because":[302,402],"paper":[304],"deals":[305],"methodology,":[307],"would":[309],"like":[310],"readers":[312],"know":[314],"own":[317],"perspective":[318],"outset.Both":[324],"staunch":[328],"advocates":[329],"postpositivist":[332],"philosophy":[333,354,373],"science,":[335],"credited":[336],"Bhaskar":[338],"(1978,":[339],"1979),":[340],"called":[341],"critical":[342,349,430,445],"realism.":[343],"While":[344],"incorporating":[345],"aspects":[346],"both,":[348],"realism":[350],"provides":[351],"alternative":[353],"those":[356],"found":[357],"wanting-positivism/empiricism":[358],"one":[361,546],"hand":[362],"relativism/interpretivism":[364],"other":[367],"(Sayer,":[368,418,439],"2000).":[369,419],"essence,":[371],"states":[374],"that,":[375],"first,":[376],"world":[378],"exists":[379],"independently":[380],"it.":[385],"Second,":[386],"goal":[388],"science":[390,563],"create":[393],"genuine,":[394],"but":[395],"always":[396],"fallible,":[397],"world.":[401],"produced":[405],"socially,":[406],"hence":[408],"theory":[410,416],"laden,":[411],"does":[412],"make":[414],"determined":[417],"Third,":[420],"all":[421,472],"theories":[422,449],"concerning":[423],"claims":[425],"must":[426,506],"subject":[428,542],"evaluation;":[431],"immune":[435],"check":[438],"1992).":[440],"It":[441,505],"evaluation":[446],"competing":[448],"community,":[453],"time,":[455],"able":[457],"decide":[459],"which":[461,466,547],"ones":[462],"retain":[464],"discard.":[468],"is,":[470],"equally":[475],"fallible":[476],"(Smith,":[477],"2006).Critical":[478],"realism,":[479],"then,":[480],"sees":[481],"both":[484],"approaches":[489],"examination":[492],"claims.":[495],"Both":[496],"camps":[497],"help":[499],"triangulation":[502],"findings.":[504],"acknowledged,":[508],"however,":[509],"throughout":[511],"careers":[513],"have":[515],"been":[516],"engaged":[517],"chiefly":[518],"research.":[521,577],"But":[522],"read":[527],"as":[528],"ringing":[530],"endorsement":[531],"orientation.":[536],"brings":[538],"paper,":[545],"finds":[548],"much":[549],"at":[550],"fault":[551],"mainstream":[553],"Especially":[556],"obsession":[558],"p-values.In":[560],"many":[561],"social":[562],"journals":[564],"p-value":[566],"test":[571],"staple":[574],"same":[579],"index":[580],"now":[582],"appearing":[583],"greater":[585],"frequency":[586],"pages":[589],"(PAR).":[595],"\u2026":[596]},"counts_by_year":[{"year":2024,"cited_by_count":1},{"year":2020,"cited_by_count":1},{"year":2018,"cited_by_count":1},{"year":2017,"cited_by_count":2}],"updated_date":"2026-11-04T10:54:05.112534","created_date":"2016-06-24T00:00:00"}