Cytopathology. 2021 Sep 15. doi: 10.1111/cyt.13058. Online ahead of print.
ABSTRACT
Accurate and thorough data analysis and reporting are essential to ensure the interpretation of the findings is appropriate. A detailed methods section in a manuscript contains enough information to permit a researcher with access to the study components, including the data, to replicate the findings. This descriptive study of 2.5 years of Cytopathology articles uncovers opportunities to elevate the quality of methods and data reporting. The findings include approximately 4 out of 5 articles (79%) identified the calculations or statistical test, nearly 3 out of 4 articles (74%) that involved significance testing included the threshold for significance in the methods section, 7 out of 10 (70%) articles defined the abbreviations and/or symbols used, and roughly half (51%) of the articles documented the software used for analysis. Omission of any of these areas of reporting (calculations or statistics performed, significance level utilized, abbreviations and/or symbols applied, and software used) could lead to a misinterpretation in the reported study or the inability to replicate findings in similar research. This study identified that there is an opportunity to elevate the quality of data reporting in this journal.
PMID:34525237 | DOI:10.1111/cyt.13058
