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Statistical errors in articles published in radiology journals
Pınar Günel Karadeniz1, Ender Uzabacı2, Sema Atış Kuyuk3
1Department of Biostatistics, SANKO University School of Medicine, Gaziantep, Turkey.
Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology (Ankara, Turkey)
|December 25, 2018
Summary
Most radiology journal articles contain statistical errors, with data summarization and P value representation being common issues. Journal impact factor did not significantly affect error rates, highlighting a need for improved statistical knowledge among researchers and editors.
Area of Science:
- Radiology
- Medical Statistics
- Scientific Publishing
Background:
- Statistical errors are prevalent in scientific literature across various fields.
- Ensuring the accuracy of statistical reporting in radiology is crucial for evidence-based practice.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the frequency and types of statistical errors in radiology journal articles.
- To determine if journal impact factor influences the rate of statistical errors.
- To contribute to improving the quality of scientific publications in radiology.
Main Methods:
- Random review of 157 articles from 20 radiology journals published between 2016-2017.
- Evaluation focused on statistical errors related to P values, statistical tests, terminology, and interpretation.
- Comparison of error rates across journals with different impact factors.
Main Results:
- 147 out of 157 (93.6%) articles contained at least one statistical error.
- Most common errors included data summarization (66%) and incorrect P value representation (42%).
- No statistically significant difference in error rates was observed based on journal impact factor.
Conclusions:
- Radiology journals, similar to other disciplines, publish articles with statistical errors.
- Journal impact factor does not correlate with the prevalence of statistical errors.
- Both researchers and editors share responsibility for minimizing statistical errors through enhanced statistical knowledge and rigorous review processes.
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