Research question

TYPE I AND TYPE II ERROR ASSIGNMENTS

Which of the following is likely to be an example of a type I error? A type II error? Neither?

1. A randomized trial finds that subjects treated with a new analgesic medication had greater mean declines in their pain scores during a study than did those treated with placebo (P = 0.03).

2. A 10-year study reports that 110 subjects who smoke do not have a greater incidence of lung cancer than 294 non-smokers (P = 0.31).

3. An investigator concludes that “Our study is the first to find that use of alcohol reduces the risk of diabetes in men less than 50 years of age (P < 0.05).”