Summary: Outcomes and the Type I and Type II Errors

Key Concepts

  • There are two types of errors that can happen in hypothesis testing: Type I and Type II.
  • A Type I error is rejecting the null hypothesis when the null hypothesis is true.
  • The probability of a Type I error is called alpha, αα.
  • A Type II error is not rejecting the null hypothesis when the null hypothesis is false.
  • The probability of a Type II error is called beta, β.

Power is the ability of a test to correctly reject a false null hypothesis.  Power equals 1β.

Glossary

Level of Significance of the Test: Probability of a Type I error (reject the null hypothesis when it is true). Notation: α. In hypothesis testing, the Level of Significance is called the preconceived α or the preset α.

Type 1 Error: The decision is to reject the null hypothesis when, in fact, the null hypothesis is true.

Type 2 Error: The decision is not to reject the null hypothesis when, in fact, the null hypothesis is false.