Abstract

Background and Purpose: The purpose of this study was investigate statistical validities of previously reported articles that used various statistical techniques such as t-test and analysis of variance. Methods: To analyze the statistical procedures, 66 original articles using those statistical methods were selected from "Korean Journal of Oriental Medicine(KJOM)" published from 1995 to 2007. Results: Twenty-one articles(32%) did not report correct p-values, 33 articles(50%) used mean${\pm}$standard error(mean${\pm}$SE) and 11 articles(l7%) used mean${\pm}$standard deviation(mean${\pm}$SD). Fifty-two articles(95%) of 55 ones which were tested for normal distribution made an error in describing normal distribution. Seventeen articles misused t-test and 12 articles did not carry out the multiple comparison. Conclusions: The training of researchers with clinical statistics or the participation of statisticians in research design will reduce the significant errors in statistical interpretation of the results.

Keywords

• statistical method;
• p-value;
• t-test;
• multiple comparison