# The method that can "prove" almost anything

- Institution: TED
- Department: TED-Ed
- Speaker: James A. Smith
- Year: 2021
- Level: For everyone
- Language: English
- Subjects: Mathematics, Teaching and learning
- Source: [TED](https://www.ted.com/talks/james_a_smith_the_method_that_can_prove_almost_anything)
- Licence: [CC BY-NC-ND 4.0](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/) (Non-commercial use only, and no changed versions.)
- Who can watch: Tweens profiles and older (sources give no ratings; placed by Invisible Network from the source's own words)

In 2011, a group of researchers conducted a study designed to find an impossible result. Their study involved real people, truthfully reported data, and commonplace statistical analyses. So how did they do it? The answer lies in a statistical method scientists often use to try to figure out whether their results mean something, or if they're random noise. James A. Smith explores p-hacking. \[Directed by Anton Bogaty, narrated by Addison Anderson, music by Salil Bhayani, cAMP Studio\].

## Lectures

1. [The method that can "prove" almost anything](https://invisiblenetwork.ai/learn/ted/james_a_smith_the_method_that_can_prove_almost_anything/21a7297559b2), 5 min (TED's player)