Are you significant?

Are you significant? | InfoWorld | Column | 2006-06-02 | By David L. Margulius: By some accounts no, so check the fine print for that pesky margin of error

"Of course I realize we all snoozed through statistics and don’t want to revisit that heavy math stuff (chi square, null hypotheses, Type 1 errors, and so on). But I keep getting research reports that make highly specific claims, with an air of learned authority, that turn out to be based on such a small sample size that the results are very likely skewed by chance (or “fooled by randomness,” as in the title of a current math-geek bestseller)."

Morale of the story: Before you base any major decisions on industry research reports, be very very skeptical – and maybe even a little afraid.