title: Comparisons of continuous and discrete methods for combining probability values associated with matched-pairs t-test data.
abstract: Fisher's well-known continuous method for combining independent probability values from continuous distributions is compared with an exact discrete analog of Fisher's continuous method for combining independent probability values from discrete distributions using matched-pairs t-test data. Fisher's continuous method is shown to be inadequate for combining probability values from many discrete distributions, given the continuity assumption when discrete distributions are considered. Although Fisher's continuous method does not detect a well-documented effect among distributions, the exact discrete analog method clearly detects the effect.
authors.affiliation: Department of Statistics, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO 80523-1877, USA. mielke@lamar.colostate.edu
authors.forename: Paul W
authors.initials: PW
authors.lastname: Mielke
authors.forename: Kenneth J
authors.initials: KJ
authors.lastname: Berry
authors.forename: Janis E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Johnston
mesh_terms: D000465:Algorithms; D003627:Data Interpretation, Statistical; D015233:Models, Statistical; D011336:Probability; D016008:Statistical Distributions; D013223:Statistics as Topic / Q000379:methods