The Use and Misuse of Statistics in Research: Theory and Practice

• Main Author: Alexandru-Ionuţ Petrişor
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Romanian National Institute of Statistics 2019-06-01
• Series: Revista Română de Statistică
• Subjects: positivism; hypothesis; measurement of science; publication bias; evidence
• Online Access: http://www.revistadestatistica.ro/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/RRS-2_2019_A4.pdf

Purpose: The article discusses whether the use of statistical approaches is a real necessity or a publication bias, resulting from the adoption of the structure of experimental and basic research articles by most journals under the positivist influence. Methodology: The analysis differentiates, based on the depth of research, between studies (mostly published by 2nd tier journals) and research (usually published by the 1st tier journals) using different examples from the scientific literature of several fields. Main findings: The analysis shows that the use of statistics is embedded in the positivist approach governing basic and experimental research. For the other areas, the use of statistics is determined merely by the depth of research rather than being a publication bias. Value: This research can serve as a basis for researchers willing to better off their activity and publish in 1st tier journals, understanding the need for quantitative research. Recommendations: Modern research should use a methodology including the statistical analysis of data in order to support the strength of findings.