Which of the following is not a criterion for making a decision in a hypothesis test?

• A. The sample size used in the study
• B. The value of the test statistic compared to the critical value
• C. The significance level $\alpha$ chosen before the test
• D. The p-value calculated from the sample data

Answer: (A)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Understand that in hypothesis testing, decisions are made based on specific criteria related to the test statistic, significance level, and p-value.
2. Recall that the significance level \(\alpha\) is chosen before conducting the test and represents the threshold for rejecting the null hypothesis.
3. Recognize that the test statistic is calculated from the sample data and compared to a critical value to decide whether to reject the null hypothesis.
4. Know that the p-value is computed from the sample data and compared to the significance level to help make the decision.
5. Identify that while sample size affects the power and reliability of the test, it is not a direct criterion used to make the decision in hypothesis testing.