My apology for this simple question but it's one I have run into before and would like some assistance with. The following was posted on a medical writing forum to which I subscribe: "I’m working on a paper with exact P values to the 10th decimal place or more (for example, P = 1.7 x 10[-14]). My first inclination was to follow the AMA Manual of Style and ask for no more than 3 significant digits. However, the authors say that they need to use the large number of significant digits because exact values are required for meta-analyses."
As with this writer I am also used to reporting p values with no more than 3 significant digits but I have seen them reported to much higher levels as the writer described. Can someone explain to me in what situations this additional level of detail might be necessary?
Thanks
As with this writer I am also used to reporting p values with no more than 3 significant digits but I have seen them reported to much higher levels as the writer described. Can someone explain to me in what situations this additional level of detail might be necessary?
Thanks