J. Gary Lutz, Leigh A. Cundari, Determining the Most Significant Parametric Function for a Given Linear Hypothesis, Journal of Educational Statistics, Vol. 12, No. 3 (Autumn, 1987), pp. 225-233 ...

This most significant parametric function is not always easy to find, however, because it may not manifest itself in simple or "obvious" functions. A general solution to this problem is presented ...