PEDIATRICS Vol. 84 No. 2 August 1989, pp. A69
This Article
Right arrow Full Text (PDF)
Right arrow P3Rs: Submit a response
Right arrow Alert me when this article is cited
Right arrow Alert me when P3Rs are posted
Right arrow Alert me if a correction is posted
Services
Right arrow E-mail this article to a friend
Right arrow Similar articles in this journal
Right arrow Alert me to new issues of the journal
Right arrow Add to My File Cabinet
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Right arrow reprints & permissions
Citing Articles
Right arrow Citing Articles via CrossRef
Right arrow Citing Articles via Google Scholar
Google Scholar
Right arrow Articles by Student,
Right arrow Search for Related Content
PubMed
Right arrow Articles by Student,

BUILT-IN LIMITATION OF STATISTICS

Student

"You can prove anything by statistics," is a common gibe. Its contrary is more nearly true—you can never prove anything by statistics. The statistician is dealing with the most complex cases of multiple causation. He may show the facts are in accordance with this hypothesis or that. But it is quite another thing to show all other possible hypotheses are excluded, and that the facts do not admit of any other interpretation than the particular one he may have in mind.