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Academic English & Research vocabulary · Data and Analysis

Significant

Meaning in academic english & research, with examples

/sɪɡˈnɪfɪkənt/adjectiveCore term

In academic english & research, significant means: In statistics, describing a result unlikely to be due to chance alone at a chosen level such as p < .05; in general use, large or important enough to matter.

In Turkish: anlamlı, önemli, kayda değer

How it is used

Very frequent in results sections: a significant difference, effect or correlation. Because of the statistical meaning, many writers avoid significant in its general sense in quantitative papers and choose important, substantial or notable instead. The noun is significance.

Example sentences

  1. There was a statistically significant difference between the two groups (p = .003).

  2. Social media has had a significant impact on how students search for sources.

Common collocations

  • statistically significant
  • significant difference
  • significant effect
  • significant correlation
  • highly significant
  • correlationA statistical relationship between two variables in which they tend to change together, either in the same or in opposite directions.
  • hypothesisA testable statement that predicts a relationship or outcome, which a study then supports or fails to support with evidence.
  • quantitativeDescribing research that collects numerical data and uses statistics to measure, compare or test relationships, often with larger samples.
  • findingsThe results or information that a study discovers after its data have been collected and analyzed.

More terms: Data and Analysis

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