From the BMJ, December 20:
The weeks leading up to Christmas are a magical time for medical research. The impending holiday season creates a dramatic upsurge in productivity, with researchers finding time to finish off statistical analyses, draft manuscripts, and respond to reviewers’ comments. This activity leads to a plethora of submissions to journals such as The BMJ in December, so that researchers can finish the year with a sense of academic achievement and enjoy the festivities with their loved ones. Indeed, with optimism fuelled by mulled wine and mince pies, researchers may even anticipate their article’s acceptance by early January, at the end of the 12 days of Christmas.
A collective, however, works against this season of publication goodwill and cheer—a small but influential group of statisticians with very shiny noses for detail, seeking “all is right” rather than “all is bright” and emphasising no, no, no rather than ho, ho, ho. The statisticians’ core belief is that a research article is for life, not just for Christmas, and they deliver statistical reviews that promote high standards of methodological rigour and transparency. So you can imagine how busy they are during the Christmas period with its influx of submissions—even before they can eat, drink, and be merry, these individuals are working tirelessly to detect submissions with erroneous analysis methods that should be roasting on an open fire, dubious statistical interpretations as pure as yellow snow, and half-baked reporting of study details that bring zero comfort and joy. Bah humbug!
Each year The BMJ’s statistical editors review more than 500 articles. For about 30 years, the statistical team was led by Martin Gardner and Doug Altman,12 both of whom saw similarities between statisticians and the Christmas star, with the statisticians lighting a path of research integrity, promoting methodology over metrics,34 and encouraging statistical principles to “save science and the world.”5
To elicit the most common issues encountered during statistical peer review, an internal survey was administered to The BMJ’s statistical editors. Twelve items were identified, and each are described here. There is one item for each of the 12 days of Christmas, the period between 25 December and 5 January when the statisticians conduct their reviews in the mindset of the Grinch,6 but with the kind heart of Miracle On 34th Street.
Advent....
....MUCH MORE
