Significance testing and confidence interval construction based on user-specified distributions

A computing apparatus for analyzing an original data set, the original data set having a first size, dimension and distribution, the computing apparatus comprising:

• a computing device for executing computer readable code;
• an input device for receiving data, the input device being in communication with the computing device;
• at least one data storage device for storing computer data, the data storage device being in communication with the computing device;
• and
• a programming code reading device that reads computer executable code, the programming code reading device being in communication with the computing device;
• the computer executable code causing the computing device to generate a plurality of random data sets, each random data set having a second size, dimension and distribution relating to the original data set;
• calculate a plurality of numerical values of test statistics corresponding to the plurality of random data sets, each numerical value being calculated according to a test statistic formula;
• and determine a relationship between the plurality of numerical values and the numerical value of the test statistic corresponding to the original data set, calculated in accordance with the test statistic formula.

A computer readable medium storing a computer program that determines a likelihood of at least one factor in an original data set not arising by chance, in accordance with a predetermined test statistic formula, the original data set having a first size, dimension and distribution, the program comprising:

• a calculating source code segment that calculates a plurality of numerical values of test statistics corresponding to a plurality of randomly generated data sets, calculated in accordance with the predetermined test statistic formula, each randomly generated data set having a second size, dimension and distribution relating to the original data set;
• a comparing source code segment that compares a numerical value of a test statistic calculated in accordance with the predetermined test statistic formula and calculated with the original data set, with the plurality of numerical values corresponding to the plurality of randomly generated data sets;
• and
• a determining source code segment that determines that at least one factor in the original data set did not arise by chance when the numerical value of the test statistic calculated from the original data set is not within a range, within the plurality of numerical values corresponding to the plurality of randomly generated data sets, representative of numerical values arising by chance.