[R] ks.test exact p-value

Kyle Hall kylehall at vt.edu
Wed Jul 26 21:54:37 CEST 2006


R enthusiasts!

I have been simulating daily in-stream bacteria concentrations using a variety 
of scenarios.  I am using the ks.test (two sample,two-sided) for analysis. My 
data sets are both of equal size (n=64).

My question is this:  For the two sample, two sided ks.test, how is the exact 
P-value calculated?

I have not been able to find an explicit citation of how the P-value is 
calculated.  I have read the help file which cites three publications and 
assigns those pubs to one version or another of the ks.test (eg. one sample, 
one-sided, etc.).  I have also read to the Conover book (referenced but not 
cited).  Conover tables are adapted from a Birnbaum and Hall (1960) paper, and 
then I have also found tables by Kim and Jennrich, but I feel I have found 
some disagreement between these sources (with regards to critical D values and 
p-values).  I would like to compare the methods utilized by R version 2.3.0 on 
Windows XP.  
Can anybody tell me the exact method for calculating the p-value for a 
two-sample, two sided ks.test?
Any help would greatly appreciated!

Kyle Hall
Graduate Research Assistant
Biological Systems Engineering
Virginia Tech
(540) 231-2083



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