An observational analysis of the trope "A p-value of < 0.05 was considered statistically significant" and other cut-and-paste statistical methods.
An observational analysis of the trope "A p-value of < 0.05 was considered statistically significant" and other cut-and-paste statistical methods.
复制标题
DOI：
10.1371/journal.pone.0264360
复制
发表时间：
2022
期刊：
影响因子：
3.7
通讯作者：
Barnett AG
中科院分区：
文献类型：
--
作者：
White NM;Balasubramaniam T;Nayak R;Barnett AG
对统计方法的适当描述对于评价研究质量和再现性至关重要。尽管不断努力改进出版物中的报告，但对统计方法的说明仍然不足。有时，阅读统计方法部分会让人产生似曾相识的感觉，内容类似于已经出版的作品中的剪贴或“样板文本”。大量的样板文本表明了统计分析的机械方法，其中使用相同的默认方法，并使用标准化文本进行描述。为了调查这种做法的程度，我们分析了从PLOS ONE和澳大利亚和新西兰临床试验登记处（ANZCTR）发表的统计方法章节中提取的文本。应用主题模型分析了PLOS ONE上发表的111，731篇论文和ANZCTR注册的9，523项研究的数据。PLOS ONE主题强调统计显著性、软件和描述性统计的定义。三分之一的PLOS ONE论文中至少有一句话是直接从另一篇论文中复制的。12，675篇论文（11%）与句子“p值< 0.05被认为具有统计学意义”密切匹配。ANZCTR研究的共同主题在研究设计和分析方法之间存在差异，在大约3%的章节中发现了匹配的文本。我们的研究结果量化了影响统计方法报告的一个严重问题，并阐明了对统计数据作为科学过程一部分的传播的看法。结果进一步强调了严格的统计审查的重要性，以确保在报告研究成果时，对方法的充分描述优先于相对次要的细节，如p值和软件。
Appropriate descriptions of statistical methods are essential for evaluating research quality and reproducibility. Despite continued efforts to improve reporting in publications, inadequate descriptions of statistical methods persist. At times, reading statistical methods sections can conjure feelings of dèjá vu, with content resembling cut-and-pasted or “boilerplate text” from already published work. Instances of boilerplate text suggest a mechanistic approach to statistical analysis, where the same default methods are being used and described using standardized text. To investigate the extent of this practice, we analyzed text extracted from published statistical methods sections from PLOS ONE and the Australian and New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry (ANZCTR). Topic modeling was applied to analyze data from 111,731 papers published in PLOS ONE and 9,523 studies registered with the ANZCTR. PLOS ONE topics emphasized definitions of statistical significance, software and descriptive statistics. One in three PLOS ONE papers contained at least 1 sentence that was a direct copy from another paper. 12,675 papers (11%) closely matched to the sentence “a p-value < 0.05 was considered statistically significant”. Common topics across ANZCTR studies differentiated between study designs and analysis methods, with matching text found in approximately 3% of sections. Our findings quantify a serious problem affecting the reporting of statistical methods and shed light on perceptions about the communication of statistics as part of the scientific process. Results further emphasize the importance of rigorous statistical review to ensure that adequate descriptions of methods are prioritized over relatively minor details such as p-values and software when reporting research outcomes.
登录
查看更多内容
影响因子：
1.8
作者：
Kim, Jingu;He, Yunlong;Park, Haesun
通讯作者：
Park, Haesun
影响因子：
3.6
作者：
Goodman, Steven
通讯作者：
Goodman, Steven
影响因子：
3.7
作者：
Diong J;Butler AA;Gandevia SC;Héroux ME
通讯作者：
Héroux ME
影响因子：
13.6
作者：
Greenland S;Senn SJ;Rothman KJ;Carlin JB;Poole C;Goodman SN;Altman DG
通讯作者：
Altman DG
DOI：
10.1073/pnas.1708279115
发表时间：
2018-03-13
影响因子：
11.1
作者：
Brown, Andrew W.;Kaiser, Kathryn A.;Allison, David B.
通讯作者：
Allison, David B.