Automated hypothesis testing

A non-transitory computer readable medium accessible by a computer processor including a software program for automatically applying hypothesis testing to at least one data set, the software including modules for:

• A. selecting a plurality of statistical tests applicable to the at least one data set having a variety of characteristics;
• B. establishing conventions associated with each test of the plurality of tests;
• C. determining the test including seeking indications as to at least one characteristic of the data set, generating at least one confirmatory notification in response to the indications, and selecting a test from among the plurality of tests based on the indications and established conventions, and providing a confirmatory notification of the nature of the selected test, the indications and established conventions;
• D. characterizing the data set, including establishing test criteria, selecting an appropriate reference test value depending on the test selected;
• and eliciting an indication of a description of the data of interest;
• E. constructing null and alternative hypothesis statements;
• F. selecting a significance level,
• G. conducting the selected test including calculating the values of the test statistic, reference values, confidence bounds and p-values, comparing the calculated p-value to the indicated significance level and the value of the test statistic to one or more reference values, and assessing the confidence bounds in view of the null hypothesis statement;
• H. stating a conclusion in terms of the selected test, indicated test criteria and data descriptions whether to reject the null hypothesis or not to reject the null hypothesis and stating the basis for the conclusion using the results of the conducting step.

A method for conducting a hypothesis test on at least one data set, the method comprising using a computer to carry out the steps of:

• A. selecting a plurality of statistical tests applicable to the at least one data set, each test of the plurality of tests having a variety of characteristics and establishing conventions associated with each test of the plurality of tests;
• B. selecting the appropriate test including seeking indications regarding characteristics of the data set and the tests among the plurality of statistical tests;
• C. establishing test criteria, selecting an appropriate reference test value depending on the test selected;
• and eliciting an indication of a description of the data of interest;
• D. constructing null and alternative hypothesis statements in mathematical terms, including defining the null hypothesis based on the selected test and assumed conventions relating to the selected test and the indications of the test criteria and population description, providing a confirmatory notification of the null hypothesis statement;
• E. seeking an indication of a significance level;
• F. conducting the selected test;
• and
• G. stating a conclusion, including calculating the values of the test statistic, calculating cut-off values, confidential intervals, and calculating p-values;
• comparing the calculated p-value to the indicated significance level, comparing the value of the test statistic to one or more of the reference values, the cut-off values or confidence intervals in view of the null hypothesis statement;
• and stating a conclusion in terms of the selected test, indicated test criteria and population descriptions whether to reject the null hypothesis or not to reject the null hypothesis based on the comparing step, and stating the basis for the conclusion using the results of the comparing step and the population descriptions.