Journal List > J Korean Acad Prosthodont > v.47(3) > 1034586

TOOLS
Park, Choi, Kim, and Shin: An assessment of statistical errors of articles in the Journal of Korean Academy of Prosthodontics: Comparison between Korean version and English version
ORIGINAL ARTICLE

J Korean Acad Prosthodont 2009;47(3):273-285.

Published online: 18 December 2009

DOI: https://doi.org/10.4047/jkap.2009.47.3.273

An assessment of statistical errors of articles in the Journal of Korean Academy of Prosthodontics: Comparison between Korean version and English version

Dong-Gyu Park, DDS, MSD1, Yong-Geun Choi, MSD, DDS, PhD2, Young-Su Kim, MSD, DDS, PhD2, Sang-Wan Shin, DDS, MPH, PhD, MSc.2, ∗

1Graduate student, Department of Advanced Prosthodontics, Graduate School of Clinical Dentistry, Korea University, Korea

2Professor, Department of Advanced Prosthodontics, Graduate School of Clinical Dentistry, Korea University, Korea

Corresponding Author: Sang-Wan Shin Department of Advanced Prosthodontics, Graduate School of Clinical Dentistry, Korea University, 126-1 Anam-dong 5-Ga, Seongbuk-Gu, Seoul, 136-705, Republic of Korea +82 2 818 6874, swshin@korea.ac.kr

Received 19 May 200917 June 2009       Accepted 2 July 2009

Copyright © 2009 The Korean Academy of Prosthodontics

This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/3.0/) which permits unrestricted non-commercial use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

Abstract

Statement of problem

The aim of dental research is to advance scientific knowledge and leads to improvement in the treatment and prevention of dental disease. Utilizing an effective research design and adequate statistical methods are essential procedures ensuring that the results of researches are based on evidences. A research should utilize proper statistical methods without statistical errors; Otherwise, it could adversely affect clinical practice and future research.

Purpose

This study was made to investigate the statistical methods used in the Journal of Korean Academy of Prosthodontics (JKAP) and then to assess them for the statistical errors.

Material and methods

Among the total of 399 articles in the JKAP published from 2000 to 2006, 292 articles using statistics were reviewed. The validity of the statistical methods used in them were assessed using a checklist based on the guideline for statistical reporting in the uniform requirements for manuscripts submitted to biomedical journals by International Committee of Medical Journal Editors. The checklist consisted of three categories of statistical errors: 1) Unspecified computer statistical packages, 2) Inadequate description of statistical methods, 3) Misuse of statistical terms. Then, the results were compared between the Korean version and the English version in the JKAP.

Results

Among the 212 articles using statistics in the Korean version, 115 articles (54%) and among the 80 articles using statistics in the English version, 47 articles (59%) were shown to have unspecified computer statistical packages without statistically significant difference (P = .66). Likewise, 101 articles (48%) in the Korean version and 25 articles (31%) in the English version were shown to have the inadequate description of statistical methods without statistically significant difference (P = .09). However, 114 articles (54%) in the Korean version and 19 articles (24%) in the English version were shown to have the misuse of statistical terms with statistically significant difference (P = .01).

Conclusion

Some of the articles in the JKAP had inadequate statistical validity, given the statistical errors identified in this assessment. Hence, dental researchers should be more careful when it comes to describing and applying statistical methods. (J Korean Acad Prosthodont 2009;47:273-85)

Keywords: statistical error, misuse of statistical method, statistics, research design, prosthodontics

REFERENCES

1.Choi JH., Lee JC. Scholarly Monographs and Statistical Methods. Seoul: Freedom Academy Pub. Co.;1990.
2.Lee HJ., Kim DH. Research Methodology Topics in Statistics. Seoul: Korea Medical Book Publisher;2002.
3.Altman DG. Statistical Reviewing for Medical Journals. Stat Med. 1998. 17:2661–74.
crossref
4.Lee HJ. Medical Research and the Use of Statistical Methods. Seoul: Korea Medical Book Publisher;2000.
5.Choi JH., Kim HG. Scientific Methodology and the Use of Statistical Methods. Seoul: Freedom Academy Pub. Co.;1994.
6.White SJ. Statistical Errors in Papers in the British Journal of Psychiatry. Br J Psychiatry. 1979. 135:336–42.
crossref
7.ICMJE(International Committee of Medical Journal Editors). Uniform Requirements for Manuscripts submitted to Biomedical Journals. J Am Osteopath Assoc. 2003. 103:137–49.
8.Ko UR., Ahn YO. Statistical Resumption for Health Articles in One Series of Medical Journals. Korean J Prev Med. 1973. 6:81–6.
9.Ko H. Statistical Methods in the Articles of the Journal of the Korean Society of Anesthesiologists from 1981 to 1990. Korean J Anesthesiol. 1993. 26:22–7.
crossref
10.Kim YY., Lee EI., Jung HR. Research Designs, Research Methods, and Statistical Techniques in Korean Ophthalmic Articles. J Korean Ophthalmol Soc. 1994. 35:460–73.
11.Hwang KH., Lee HJ., Kim YJ., Lee SI. Statistical Errors in Papers in the Journal of Korean Society of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgeons. J Korean Soc Plast Reconstr Surg. 2001. 28:302–9.
12.Publication Committee of Korean Academy of Family Medicine. Statistics for Family Medicine. Seoul: J Korean Acad Fam Med;2001.
13.Koh WJ., Lee SJ., Kang MJ., Lee HJ. An Evaluation of the Use of Statistical Methods in the Journal of Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases. Korean Tuberc Respir Dis. 2004. 57:168–79.
14.Pak SI. An Assessment of Statistical Errors in Articles in the Korean Journal of Veterinary Research. Korean J Vet Res. 1999. 39:1187–96.
15.Lee SD. An Assessment of Statistical Validity of Articles Published in the Journal of Korean Acupuncture and Moxibustion Society from 1984 to 2002. Korean J Acupunct Mox. 2004. 21:176–88.
16.Park YG. The Most Common Statistical Errors in the Articles. J Korean Acad Fam Med. 1998. 19:137–43.
17.Gore SM., Jones JG., Rytter EC. Misuse of Statistical Methods: Critical Assessment of Articles in BMJ from January to March 1976. Br Med J. 1977. 1:85–7.
crossref
18.Ahn YO., Lee HK. Development of a Checklist for Assessing the Methodological andStatistical Validity of Medical Articles. Korean J Med Educ. 1991. 3:19–35.
19.Park YG. Statistical Application of the Articles in the Journal of the Korean Academy of Family Medicine. J Korean Acad Fam Med. 1998. 19:137–43.
20.Lee HK., Huh BY., Ahn YO. An Assessment of Methodological and Statistical Validity of Medical Articles Published in Korea, from 1980 to 1989. J Korean Acad Fam Med. 1991. 12:46–67.
21.Petrie A., Sabin C. Medical Statistics at a Glance,. 2nd edition.London: Blackwell publishing Ltd;2005.
22.Ahn YO., Yoo KY., Park BJ. Applied Medical Statistics, Revised edition. Seoul: Seoul National University Press;2005.
23.Altman M., McDonald MP. Choosing Reliable Statistical Software. Political Science and Politics. 2001. 34:681–7.
crossref
24.Bailar JC 3rd., Frederick M. Guidelines for Statistical Reporting in Articles for Medical Journals: Amplifications and Explanations. Ann Intern Med. 1998. 108:266–73.
25.Browner WS. Publishing and Presenting Clinical Research. Philadelphia: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins Ltd;1998.
26.Song MS., Park CS. Introduction to Nonparametric Statistics. Seoul: Freedom Academy Pub. Co.;1997.
27.Hahn SK. Development of Program for Statistical Education in Design and Analysis of Clinical Trials and Training Medical Statisticians. The Annual Report of KF-DA No. GOVP1200608585,. Seoul: Korea Food and Drug Administration;2005.
28.Altman DG., Schultz KF., Moher D., Egger M., Davidoff F., Elboume D., Lang T, et al. The Revised CONSORT Statement for Reporting Randomized Trials: Explanation and Elaboration. Ann Intern Med. 2001. 134:663–94.
crossref
29.Park YG. Statistical Errors of the Articles in December. 1999. J Korean Acad Fam Med 2000a. 21:107–10.
30.Park YG. Statistical Errors of the Articles in January. 2000. J Korean Acad Fam Med 2000b. 21:289–93.
31.Lee YJ. Understanding the Analysis of Variance. Seoul: SukJung publisher;2000.
32.Park GB. A Study of Statistical Analysis Methods in Domestic Journal related to Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery. MSD. Graduate School of Chosun University;. 1999.
33.Lee SM., Lee SW. An Assessment of Statistical Validity of Nursing Researches Published in Korea from 1986 to 1995. J Korean Soc Health Statistics. 1998. 23:42–64.
34.Park IK., Kang JO., Kim TY., Keum DG. An Evaluation of the Statistical Techniques Used in the 1995-1996 Editions of the Korean Journal of Clinical Pathology. Korean J Clin Pathol. 1999. 19:460–4.

Table I.
Frequency of the articles using statistics in the Journal of Korean Academy of Prosthodontics by year
    2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 Total
Korean version Total articles 46 36 32 40 40 42 48 284
  Articles using statistics 37 27 26 31 27 34 30 212
English version Total articles 20 17 13 16 18 16 15 115
  Articles using statistics 4 13 11 13 15 12 12 80
Table II.
Frequency of the statistical techniques used in the Korean version of the Journal of Korean Academy of Prosthodontics by year
Statistical technique 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 Total
t-test 11 5 4 5 8 10 6 49
ANOVA 34 15 22 30 17 21 32 171
Correlation 1   1 3   6 1 12
Regression 1   1 3   1 2 8
Nonparametric 11 2 6 6 2 7 9 43
Multivariate           3 3 6
Others＊ 3   1 1   3 1 9
Undefined 1       2     3
Total 62 22 35 48 29 51 54 301

∗ Kaplan-Meier survival analysis, interrater reliability etc.

Table III.
Frequency of the statistical techniques used in the English version of the Journal of Korean Academy of Prosthodontics by year
Statistical technique 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 Total
t-test 1   3 1 3 5 4 17
ANOVA 4 8 8 12 12 9 8 61
Correlation   1       1 3 5
Regression         1   2 3
Nonparametric 2 8 1 3 2 3 1 20
Multivariate                
Others＊     1     1 1 3
Undefined                
Total 7 17 13 16 18 19 19 109

∗ K-means clustering analysis etc.

Table IV.
Frequency of the statistical errors by the comparison between Korean version and English version in the Journal of Korean Academy of Prosthodontics
Category of statistical errors Korean version English version χ 2value (P-value)
No.(%) Articles using No.(%) Articles using
95% Confidence Interval statistics 95% Confidence Interval statistics
Unspecified computer statistical packages 115 (54) 212 47 (59) 80 0.195 (P = .66)
  0.48 - 0.61   0.43 - 0.75    
Inadequate description of statistical methods 102 (48) 212 26 (33) 80 2.841 (P = .09)
  0.41 - 0.55   0.22 - 0.43    
Misuse of statistical terms 114 (54) 212 19 (24) 80 10.369 (P = .01)∗
  0.47 - 0.60   0.14 - 0.33    

Note. χ2(Chi-square) tests with Yates's correction for continuity were done at α = 0.05 level. (degrees of freedom = 1, N = 292) ∗P < .05, statistically significant.

Table V.
Frequency of the computer statistical packages used in Korean version of the Journal of Korean Academy of Prosthodontics by year
Statistical packages 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 Total
SPSS 10 7 9 14 9 13 9 71
SAS 4 1 1 3 4   4 17
Microsoft Excel   1 1   2 1   5
Statgraphics plus         1     1
SigmaStat for Windows   1     1     2
Minitab           1   1
Total 14 10 11 17 17 15 13 97
Table VI.
Frequency of the computer statistical packages used in English version of the Journal of Korean Academy of Prosthodontics by year
Statistical packages 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 Total
SPSS 2 4 2 2 5 4 8 27
SAS   1   1     2 4
Microsoft Excel         1     1
Statgraphics plus 1             1
SigmaStat for Windows                
Minitab                
Total 3 5 2 3 6 4 10 33
Table VII.
Frequency of the inadequate description of statistical methods in the Journal of Korean Academy of Prosthodontics by year
category version 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 Total
Inadequate description Korean 4 2 1 3 3 4 4 21
of central tendency or dispersion English   1       1   2
Incorrect Analysis Korean 10 5 6 7 6 8 5 47
  English 1   4 4 2 3 1 15
Multiplicity Korean 8 3 7 4 5 3 4 34
on hypothesis testing English 2 2   1     4 9
Total Korean 22 10 14 14 14 15 13 102
  English 3 3 4 5 2 4 5 26
TOOLS
Similar articles