New Guidelines for Data Reporting and Statistical Analysis: Helping Authors With Transparency and Rigor in Research

Extract

The increasing concern about the lack of replicability of published research in the biomedical field⁽¹, ², ³⁾ has produced some initial consternation in the research community and in the public at large, but it has also fueled robust discussions among journal editors, funding agencies, academic institutions, and researchers on how to address the problem and improve the quality of scientific publications. The editorial leadership of the Journal of Bone and Mineral Research, in concert with our sister journal, JBMR Plus, and the ASBMR Publications Committee, has developed new guidelines for reporting and analyzing research data with the purpose of improving rigor and transparency of published material, thus minimizing reproducibility problems. The new guidelines have been developed by two task forces appointed by the Publications Committee, with input from the Editors. Members of the task forces were chosen among the JBMR/JBMR Plus Editorial Board membership, and their final recommendations were unanimously approved by the Publications Committee. The new guidelines are now incorporated in the instructions for authors for JBMR and JBMR Plus; reviewers and Editors will be asked to verify that submitted manuscripts comply to the new instructions. This editorial introduces the changes made, provides rationale for specific choices, and offers some advice, especially about statistical analysis. We focus on five key areas: 1) study design; 2) reporting of genetic studies; 3) presentation and analysis of preclinical studies; 4) fundamentals of statistical analysis; and 5) interpretation of p values.