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Statistical Analysis: Data Presentation and Statistical Tests

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Abstract

  • Data analysis should be planned in line with objectives of the study. Quality assured data entry, data cleaning and construction of dummy tables are essential steps before data analysis.

  • Descriptive statistics summarize the data obtained from the study subjects. The measures could be rate, proportion, odds ratio, relative risk, mean, median, mean difference, etc.

  • Inferential statistics make inference about the population using the data from the study sample. In inferential statistics, 95% confidence interval and p-value are calculated.

  • In comparison with p-value, 95% confidence interval gives information on the magnitude of effect in addition to statistical significance. Clinical significance is important than statistical significance.

  • Choice of statistical test of significance depends on the type of data (numerical, categorical) and its distribution (normal or non-normal).

Statistics without science is incomplete, science without statistics is imperfect.—KV Mardia

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Acknowledgement

The authors thank Dr Tanveer Rehman, Junior Resident and Dr Gunjan Kumar, Senior Resident, Department of PSM for critically reviewing the manuscript

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Preventive and Social Medicine, Jawaharlal Institute of Postgraduate Medical Education and Research, Pondicherry, India

    Mahalakshmy Thulasingam (Associate Professor) & Kariyarath Cheriyath Premarajan (Professor and Head)

Authors
  1. Mahalakshmy Thulasingam
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  2. Kariyarath Cheriyath Premarajan
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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Sri Balaji Vidyapeeth (Deemed University), Pondicherry, India

    Subhash Chandra Parija

  2. Department of Surgery, Jawaharlal Institute of Postgraduate Medical Education and Research (JIPMER), Pondicherry, India

    Vikram Kate

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Thulasingam, M., Premarajan, K.C. (2018). Statistical Analysis: Data Presentation and Statistical Tests. In: Parija, S., Kate, V. (eds) Thesis Writing for Master's and Ph.D. Program. Springer, Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-13-0890-1_11

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-13-0890-1_11

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  • Publisher Name: Springer, Singapore

  • Print ISBN: 978-981-13-0889-5

  • Online ISBN: 978-981-13-0890-1

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