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Planning experiments: Updated guidance on experimental design and analysis and their reporting III
Michael J Curtis1, Stephen P H Alexander2, Giuseppe Cirino3
1Kings College London, London, UK.
British Journal of Pharmacology
|June 8, 2022
Summary
This editorial provides updated guidance for experimental design and analysis for researchers publishing in the British Journal of Pharmacology (BJP). It emphasizes key challenges in randomisation, blinded analysis, and group size balance for robust scientific reporting.
Area of Science:
- Pharmacology
- Experimental Design
- Scientific Publishing
Background:
- This editorial updates previous guidance documents on experimental design and analysis for the British Journal of Pharmacology (BJP).
- It addresses new issues and clarifies requirements for manuscript submissions.
- The guidance is essential for scientists planning to publish in BJP.
Discussion:
- The BJP editorial board has audited and discussed best practices for experimental design and analysis.
- This update simplifies and clarifies existing requirements for authors.
- Explanations for the requirements are detailed in previous publications.
Key Insights:
- Randomisation: Ensuring unbiased allocation of subjects or samples to experimental groups.
- Blinded analysis: Preventing bias during data analysis by concealing group assignments.
- Balance of group sizes: Maintaining equal or near-equal numbers of subjects/samples in each group.
Outlook:
- Adherence to these updated guidelines will improve the rigor and reproducibility of research published in BJP.
- Focusing on randomisation, blinded analysis, and group size balance is crucial for high-quality scientific communication.
- This resource aims to enhance the overall quality of submitted manuscripts and the reliability of pharmacological research.
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