[R] p-values

Greg Tarpinian
2004-04-27T20:32:06Z

I apologize if this question is not completely
appropriate for this list.

I have been using SAS for a while and am now in the
process of learning some C and R as a part of my
graduate studies.  All of the statistical packages I
have used generally yield p-values as a default output
to standard procedures.

This week I have been reading "Testing Precise
Hypotheses" by J.O. Berger & Mohan Delampady,
Statistical Science, Vol. 2, No. 3, 317-355 and
"Bayesian Analysis: A Look at Today and Thoughts of
Tomorrow" by J.O. Berger, JASA, Vol. 95, No. 452, p.
1269 - 1276, both as supplements to my Math Stat.
course.

It appears, based on these articles, that p-values are
more or less useless.  If this is indeed the case,
then why is a p-value typically given as a default
output?  For example, I know that PROC MIXED and
lme( ) both yield p-values for fixed effects terms.

The theory I am learning does not seem to match what
is commonly available in the software, and I am just
wondering why.

Thanks,
    Greg