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Basic Statistical Reporting for ... - The EQUATOR Network

Basic Statistical Reporting for Articles Published in Biomedical Journals: The Statistical Analyses and Methods in the Published Literature or The sampl guidelines . Thomas A. Langa and Douglas G. Altmanb a Principal, Tom Lang Communications and Training International b Director, Centre for Statistics in Medicine, Oxford University Have they reflected that the sciences founded on observation can only be promoted by statistics? .. If medicine had not neglected this instrument, this means of progress, it would possess a greater number of positive truths, and stand less liable to the accusation of being a science of unfixed principles, vague and conjectural. Jean-Etienne Dominique Esquirol, an early French psychiatrist, quoted in The Lancet, 1838 [1].

Lang T, Altman D. Statistical Analyses and Methods in the Published Literature: the SAMPL Guidelines. 3 Reporting Basic Statistical Analyses and Methods

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1 Basic Statistical Reporting for Articles Published in Biomedical Journals: The Statistical Analyses and Methods in the Published Literature or The sampl guidelines . Thomas A. Langa and Douglas G. Altmanb a Principal, Tom Lang Communications and Training International b Director, Centre for Statistics in Medicine, Oxford University Have they reflected that the sciences founded on observation can only be promoted by statistics? .. If medicine had not neglected this instrument, this means of progress, it would possess a greater number of positive truths, and stand less liable to the accusation of being a science of unfixed principles, vague and conjectural. Jean-Etienne Dominique Esquirol, an early French psychiatrist, quoted in The Lancet, 1838 [1].

2 Introduction The first major study of the quality of Statistical errors are in Basic , not advanced, Statistical methods Reporting in the biomedical literature was published [23]. Perhaps advanced methods are suggested by in 1966 [2]. Since then, dozens of similar studies consulting statisticians, who then competently have been published, every one of which has found perform the analyses, but it is also true that authors that large proportions of articles contain errors in the are far more likely to use only elementary Statistical application, analysis, interpretation, or Reporting of methods, if they use any at all [23-26]. Still, articles statistics or in the design or conduct of research.

3 (See, with even major errors continue to pass editorial and for example, references 3 through 19.) Further, large peer review and to be published in leading journals. proportions of these errors are serious enough to call the authors' conclusions into question [5,18,19]. The The truth is that the problem of poor Statistical problem is made worse by the fact that most of these Reporting is long-standing, widespread, potentially studies are of the world's leading peer-reviewed serious, concerns mostly Basic statistics, and yet is general medical and specialty journals. largely unsuspected by most readers of the biomedical literature [27]. Although errors have been found in more complex Statistical procedures [20,21,22], paradoxically, many More than 30 years ago, O'Fallon and colleagues recommended that Standards governing the content Lang T, Altman D.

4 Basic Statistical Reporting for and format of Statistical aspects should be developed articles published in clinical medical journals: the to guide authors in the preparation of manuscripts . sampl guidelines . In: Smart P, Maisonneuve H, [28]. Despite the fact that this call has since been Polderman A (eds). Science Editors' Handbook, echoed by several others (17,18,29-32), most journals European Association of Science Editors, 2013. This have still not included in their Instructions for document may be reprinted without charge but must Authors more than a paragraph or two about include the original citation. Reporting Statistical methods [33]. However, given that many Statistical errors concern Basic statistics, a Lang T, Altman D.

5 Statistical Analyses and Methods in the Published Literature: the sampl guidelines . 1. comprehensive and comprehensible set of In addition, a comprehensive review of the literature Reporting guidelines might improve how Statistical on Statistical Reporting errors reveals near universal analyses are documented. agreement on how to report the most common methods [27]. In light of the above, we present here a set of Statistical Reporting guidelines suitable for medical Statistical analyses are closely related to the design journals to include in their Instructions for Authors. and activities of the research itself. However, our These guidelines tell authors, journal editors, and guidelines do not address the issues related to the reviewers how to report Basic Statistical methods and design and conduct of research.

6 Instead, we refer results. Although these guidelines are limited to the readers to the EQUATOR Network website most common Statistical analyses, they are ( ) where guidelines for nevertheless sufficient to prevent most of the Reporting specific research designs can be found. (For Reporting deficiencies routinely found in scientific example, see the CONSORT [38], TREND [39], articles; they may also help to prevent some Reporting STROBE [40]) These guidelines for Reporting errors by focusing attention on key points in the methodologies all include items on Reporting analyses. statistics, but the guidelines presented here are more specific and complement, not duplicate, those in the Unlike many of other guidelines , the sampl methodology guidelines .

7 guidelines were not developed by a formal consensus-building process, but they do draw We welcome feedback and anticipate the need to considerably from published guidelines [27,34-37]. update this guidance in due course. Lang T, Altman D. Statistical Analyses and Methods in the Published Literature: the sampl guidelines . 2. Reporting Basic Statistical Analyses and Methods in the Published Literature: The sampl guidelines for Biomedical Journals Guiding Principles for Reporting Statistical Methods and Results Our first guiding principle for Statistical Reporting when possible (with pages stated). Define comes from The International Committee of Medical Statistical terms, abbreviations, and most symbols.

8 Journal Editors, whose Uniform Requirements for Specify the computer software used [33,41]. Manuscripts Submitted to Biomedical Journals include the following excellent statement about Our second guiding principle for Statistical Reporting Reporting Statistical analyses: is to provide enough detail that the results can be incorporated into other analyses. In general, this Describe Statistical methods with enough detail principle requires Reporting the descriptive statistics to enable a knowledgeable reader with access to from which other statistics are derived, such as the the original data to verify the reported results. numerators and denominators of percentages, [Emphasis added.]

9 ] When possible, quantify especially in risk, odds, and hazards ratios. Likewise, findings and present them with appropriate P values are not sufficient for re-analysis. Needed indicators of measurement error or uncertainty instead are descriptive statistics for the variables (such as confidence intervals). Avoid relying solely being compared, including sample size of the groups on Statistical hypothesis testing, such as P values, involved, the estimate (or effect size ) associated which fail to convey important information about with the P value, and a measure of precision for the effect size. References for the design of the study estimate, usually a 95% confidence interval.

10 And Statistical methods should be to standard works General Principles for Reporting Statistical Methods Preliminary analyses Identify any Statistical procedures used to modify normal distribution, creating ratios or other derived raw data before analysis. Examples include variables, and collapsing continuous data into mathematically transforming continuous categorical data or combining categories. measurements to make distributions closer to the Primary analyses Describe the purpose of the analysis. Make clear which method was used for each analysis, rather than just listing in one place all the Identify the variables used in the analysis and Statistical methods used.


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