Hilda Bastian @hildabastNASW Sciencewriters 2013, Florida 2nd Novhttp://www.slideshare.net/HildaBastian/(Link listing on last slide)

Statistically Funny blogspot

6 tips to protect yourselffrom data-led error

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Absolutely Maybeat Scientific American

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1. Remember data don’t speak for themselves

Think through the context of what happened, the methods of collection and method of analysis before analyzing the data

See also: Who’s saying it? Academic spin(click thumbnail)

2. Avoidover-precision

Always think about confidence intervals/margins of error, matching use of numbers & language to data certainty (47.23% or just less than half?)

See also: Standard deviations (click thumbnail)

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3. Look at each outcome separately

The strength & quality of data vary within a study. And always look for all outcomes (especially adverse ones), not just the ones researchers point you to.

See also: Alleged effects include… (click thumbnail)

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4. Don’t mistake absence ofevidence for evidence of absence

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5. Don’t lookat one studyin isolation

See also: He said, then she said… (click thumbnail)

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6. Be as critical of the data you want to believe as you are about what you disagree with

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The biggest bias we have to deal with is our own.

Link listinghttp://statistically-funny.blogspot.com http://blogs.scientificamerican.com/absolutely-maybePromising = overhyped + under-tested:http://statistically-funny.blogspot.com/2012/06/promising-over-hyped-under-tested.html Academic spin: http://blogs.scientificamerican.com/absolutely-maybe/2013/09/09/academic-spin-how-to-dodge-weave-past-research-exaggeration/ You will meet too much false precision: http://statistically-funny.blogspot.com/2013/02/you-will-meet-too-much-false-precision.htmlStandard deviations: http://statistically-funny.blogspot.com/2013/04/dont-worry-its-just-standard-deviation.htmlStatistical significance: http://statistically-funny.blogspot.com/2013/03/nervously-approaching-significance.htmlAlleged effects include…: http://statistically-funny.blogspot.com/2013/07/alleged-effects-include-howling.htmlStudies of cave paintings have shown..: http://statistically-funny.blogspot.com/2013/06/studies-of-cave-paintings-have-shown.htmlStudies in isolation – “Look Ma, straight A’s!”: http://statistically-funny.blogspot.com/2013/04/look-ma-straight-as.htmlHe said, then she said…: http://statistically-funny.blogspot.com/2013/05/he-said-she-said-then-they-said.html Begging hopefully for less bias: http://statistically-funny.blogspot.com/2012/06/begging-hopefully-for-less-bias.html