AI engineering glossary · Statistics inference
What is p-hacking?
P-hacking (also called Data dredging): Trying many analyses, subgroups, metrics or stopping points until one yields a small p-value, then reporting only that one. It inflates false positives and produces findings that fail to replicate.
P-hacking: an example
Slicing an experiment by 30 user segments and announcing the one segment with p = 0.04 as a win.
Related terms
More Statistics inference terms
- P-value
- Paired t-test
- Peeking problem
- Permutation test
- Point estimate
- Population parameter
- Post-hoc test
- Posterior distribution
Where you learn it
P-hacking is part of the AI Engineering Program, which teaches it with notes, a hands-on lab and an exam. The first lesson is free.