What does a p-value indicate in research?

A p-value is a statistical measure that helps researchers determine the significance of their findings. Specifically, it indicates the probability that the observed results, or more extreme results, could occur under the null hypothesis, which assumes no effect or no difference. A low p-value suggests that the observed data is unlikely to occur by random chance alone if the null hypothesis were true, leading researchers to consider rejecting the null hypothesis in favor of an alternative hypothesis.

This understanding of p-values helps quantify the strength of evidence against the null hypothesis. A common threshold for significance is a p-value less than 0.05, suggesting that there is less than a 5% probability that the observed results happened by chance. Thus, this interpretation directly connects to the correct answer, as it emphasizes the role of the p-value in reflecting the likelihood of chance occurrences in the observed data.