Critique of Statistical Errors in Biomedical Research
Author Information
Author(s): Carl V. Phillips, Richard F. MacLehose, Jay S. Kaufman
Primary Institution: University of Alberta School of Public Health
Hypothesis
Are the terminal digits of p-values in biomedical research uniformly distributed?
Conclusion
The study found that the terminal digits of p-values diverge from a uniform distribution, suggesting potential biases in reporting.
Supporting Evidence
- The analysis included 190 p-values from Nature articles, revealing significant deviations from uniformity.
- Combined data from previous critiques confirmed a strong digit preference in reported p-values.
- Statistical significance was found to be misleading in interpreting the results of the studies analyzed.
Takeaway
This study looked at the last digits of p-values in research papers and found they don't follow the expected pattern, which might mean researchers are not reporting their results accurately.
Methodology
The authors analyzed p-values from articles in the journal Nature using chi-square tests to assess the distribution of terminal digits.
Potential Biases
Publication bias may lead to an overrepresentation of statistically significant results, affecting the distribution of reported p-values.
Limitations
The study may not account for all factors influencing digit distribution, such as varying reporting practices across different journals.
Statistical Information
P-Value
p<0.001
Statistical Significance
p<0.001
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
Want to read the original?
Access the complete publication on the publisher's website