Guidelines for statistical reporting in articles for medical journals. Amplifications and explanations

The 1988 edition of the Uniform Requirements for Manuscripts Submitted to Biomedical Journals includes guidelines for presenting statistical aspects of scientific research. The guidelines are intended to aid authors in reporting the statistical aspects of their work in ways that are clear and helpful to readers. We examine these guidelines for statistics using 15 numbered statements. Although the information presented relates to manuscript preparation, it will also help investigators in earlier stages make critical decisions about research approaches and protocols.