What is the role of statistical significance in proving unexpected results?
What is the role of statistical significance in proving unexpected results?
Statistical significance plays a crucial role in substantiating claims of unexpected results during patent examination. According to MPEP 716.02(b):
The evidence relied upon should establish ‘that the differences in results are in fact unexpected and unobvious and of both statistical and practical significance.’
This means that:
- Statistical significance: The results should be demonstrated to be statistically significant, typically through appropriate statistical tests.
- Practical significance: The difference in results should be meaningful in a practical sense, not just statistically detectable.
- Reproducibility: The results should be reproducible and not due to random chance.
Examiners are instructed to consider whether the provided data meets these criteria when evaluating claims of unexpected results. Applicants should ensure their experimental design and data analysis can withstand scrutiny in terms of statistical rigor.
To learn more: