The probability of seeing a result this extreme if there's really no effect.
The p-value is the probability, assuming the null hypothesis is true, of obtaining a result as extreme as or more extreme than the one observed. A common but contested convention treats p<0.05 as 'statistically significant,' though this threshold is arbitrary and a p-value alone says nothing about the size, clinical importance, or certainty of an effect. It is often misread as 'the probability the null hypothesis is true' or 'the probability the finding is due to chance' — both are incorrect interpretations.
This guide was auto-drafted and is pending editorial review.