What is the typical p-value threshold that indicates a statistically significant result?

The typical p-value threshold that indicates a statistically significant result is 0.05. This threshold has become a standard in many fields, including kinesiology and health sciences. When a study reports a p-value less than 0.05, it suggests that there is less than a 5% probability that the observed results occurred by chance if the null hypothesis were true. In practical terms, this means researchers can be reasonably confident that their findings are likely to reflect a true effect rather than random variation.

While thresholds like 0.01 and 0.10 are used in certain contexts, 0.05 remains the most widely accepted benchmark for significance in many scientific disciplines. Using a threshold of 0.20 would indicate a very lenient criterion for significance, which is less commonly accepted in rigorous scientific research. Therefore, 0.05 balances the risk of Type I error (false positives) and provides a reliable basis for drawing conclusions from research data.