Two agronomists analyzed the same data, testing the same null hypothesis about the proportion of tomato plants suffering from blight. One rejected the hypothesis but the other did not. Assuming neither made a mistake in calculations, which of these possible explanations could account for this apparent discrepancy?
I. One agronomist wrote a one-tailed alternative hypothesis, but the other used 2 tails.
II. They wrote identical hypotheses, but the one who rejected the null used a higher a-level. III. They wrote identical hypotheses, but the one who rejected the null used a lower a-level.
A) II only
B) I only
C) III only
D) I or III
E) I or II

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

One agronomist could have used a one-tailed test while the other used a two-tailed test, leading to different conclusions. Alternatively, the one who rejected the null hypothesis could have used a higher alpha level, making it easier to reject the null hypothesis.

Two Agronomists Analyzed the Same Data, Testing the Same Null