Statistical methods used in "The Journal of the Japan Society of Acupuncture".
10.3777/jjsam.46.14
- VernacularTitle:全日本しん灸学会誌で使われている統計手法
- Author:
Toshiyuki SHICHIDO
- Publication Type:Journal Article
- From:Journal of the Japan Society of Acupuncture and Moxibustion
1996;46(1):14-17
- CountryJapan
- Language:Japanese
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Abstract:
We looked into the statistical methods used in “The Journal of the Japan Society of Acupuncture” over the last ten years. Our results showed that the t test was most common, used 72.5% (127) of the time; the χ2 test was next, used 25.7% (45) of the time; and the third most popular was the analysis of variance, at 5.7%. None of the remaining 17 methods were used more than 5% of the time. In all the instances where the t test was used, this was only clearly indicated in 36.5% of the cases. Similarly, where the χ2 was used, it was only clearly indicated in 13.7% of the cases. In a similar percentage of the cases where two statistical analysis was used, the name of the method used was not listed in the article. Up until now, in 14% of the instances where the t test was referred to, it was written as the T test. This was surprisingly often. And in only 1.1% of the cases are the names of the software used given. This is surprisingly small. Considering these omissions, together with the fact that these methods have been misused 97% of the time, we can only conclude that what is needed is more education in statistical methods, as well as stricter editorial policies governing the submission of papers coupled with a system of peer review.
