Review Article
Year: 2018 | Month: March | Volume: 5 | Issue: 3 | Pages: 112-129
The Quest for Statistical Significance: Ignorance, Bias and Malpractice of Research Practitioners
Joshua Abah Abah
Department of Science Education
University of Agriculture, Makurdi, Nigeria
ABSTRACT
There is a growing body of evidence on the prevalence of ignorance, biases and malpractice among researchers which questions the authenticity, validity and integrity of the knowledge been propagated in professional circles. The push for academic relevance and career advancement have driven some research practitioners into committing gross misconduct in the form of innocent ignorance, sloppiness, malicious intent and outright fraud. These, among other concerns around research data handling and reporting, form the basis for this in-depth review. This discourse also draws attention to the recent official statement on the correct use of the p-value and the need for professional intervention is ensuring that the outcomes of research are neither erroneous nor misleading. The expositions in this review express cogent implications for institutions, supervisors, mentors, and editors to promote high ethical standards and rigor in scientific investigations.
Key words: Research, Research misconduct, Bias, P-value, Statistical significance, ANCOVA Assumptions
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