A three-question test to check if research findings actually matter. Ask how large the effect is, what you're comparing it to, and whether it changes anything in real life. Examples include cavity size and the famous "9 out of 10 dentists" claim.
How do I evaluate practical significance? I like to use this 3-question test. How big is the effect? And by effect, I mean, what am I measuring for? Am I measuring the number of cavities people have and how big a cavity is important versus how big does it get to be an effect or something I'm gonna look at? Now I say, compared to what? What is the baseline? And if you look way back, you would get ads like, 9 outta 10 dentists agree that smoking is beneficial for you. And 9 out of 10 what dentists and where'd they get them from and who was sampled and did I exclude 700 other dentists to get these 9 out of 10 dentists to get there? And ultimately, would anybody care about these results? Is it enough time, money? Is it enough changes in people's lives to make it actually a meaningful change? Drop the word "help" in the comments and I'll send you the link for my free dissertation help community.
