Statistical Code to Support the Scientific Story
Authors: A. Russell Localio, Steven N. Goodman, Anne Meibohm, John E. Cornell, Catharine B. Stack, Eric A. Ross, Cynthia D. Mulrow
Journal: Annals of Internal Medicine (2018)

Editorials5 June 2018Statistical Code to Support the Scientific StoryA. Russell Localio, PhD, Steven N. Goodman, MD, PhD, Anne Meibohm, PhD, John E. Cornell, PhD, Catharine B. Stack, PhD, Eric A. Ross, PhD, ScM, and Cynthia D. Mulrow, MD, MScA. Russell Localio, PhDUniversity of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (A.R.L.), Steven N. Goodman, MD, PhDStanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California (S.N.G.), Anne Meibohm, PhDAmerican College of Physicians, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (A.M., C.B.S., C.D.M.), John E. Cornell, PhDUniversity of Texas Health Science Center, San Antonio, Texas (J.E.C.), Catharine B. Stack, PhDAmerican College of Physicians, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (A.M., C.B.S., C.D.M.), Eric A. Ross, PhD, ScMFox Chase Cancer Center and Temple University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (E.A.R.), and Cynthia D. Mulrow, MD, MScAmerican College of Physicians, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (A.M., C.B.S., C.D.M.)Author, Article, and Disclosure Informationhttps://doi.org/10.7326/M17-3431 SectionsAboutFull TextPDF ToolsAdd to favoritesDownload CitationsTrack CitationsPermissions ShareFacebookTwitterLinkedInRedditEmail Clearly presented and transparently reported statistical code is a sine qua non for reproducible research. More than a decade ago, Annals began asking authors to report the availability of code that supported their statistical methods (1). Before that policy adoption, our statistical editors routinely requested and reviewed code underlying analyses of papers that we eventually published. Although we never formally graded submitted code, our experiences are similar to those reported by Assel and Vickers (2).We have found that authors increasingly apply complex statistical methods to account for such factors as correlated and repeated measures, missing data, incomplete adherence, and ...References1. Laine C, Goodman SN, Griswold ME, Sox HC. Reproducible research: moving toward research the public can really trust. Ann Intern Med. 2007;146:450-3. [PMID: 17339612] LinkGoogle Scholar2. Assel M, Vickers AJ. Statistical code for clinical research papers in a high-impact specialist medical journal. Ann Intern Med. 2018;168:832-3. doi:10.7326/M17-2863 LinkGoogle Scholar3. Peng RD. Reproducible research and biostatistics [Editorial]. Biostatistics. 2009;10:405-8. [PMID: 19535325] doi:10.1093/biostatistics/kxp014 CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar4. Stodden V, McNutt M, Bailey DH, Deelman E, Gil Y, Hanson B, et al. Enhancing reproducibility for computational methods. Science. 2016;354:1240-1. [PMID: 27940837] CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar5. International Committee of Medical Journal Editors. Recommendations for the conduct, reporting, editing, and publication of scholarly work in medical journals. Updated December 2017. Accessed at www.icmje.org/icmje-recommendations.pdf on 19 January 2018. Google Scholar6. Institute of Medicine. Institute of Medicine. Sharing Clinical Trial Data: Maximizing Benefits, Minimizing Risk. Washington, DC: National Academies Pr; 2015:91-133. Google Scholar7. Akacha M, Bretz F, Ruberg S. Estimands in clinical trials—broadening the perspective. Stat Med. 2017;36:5-19. [PMID: 27435045] doi:10.1002/sim.7033 CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar8. Kernighan BW, Plauger PJ. The Elements of Programming Style. 2nd ed. New York: McGraw-Hill; 1978. Google Scholar9. Knuth DE. Literate programming. Comput J. 1984;27:97-111. CrossrefGoogle Scholar10. Correction: rilonacept for colchicine-resistant or -intolerant familial Mediterranean fever. Ann Intern Med. 2014;160:291-2. [PMID: 24727851]. doi:10.7326/L14-5004-6 LinkGoogle Scholar Author, Article, and Disclosure InformationAffiliations: University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (A.R.L.)Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California (S.N.G.)American College of Physicians, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (A.M., C.B.S., C.D.M.)University of Texas Health Science Center, San Antonio, Texas (J.E.C.)Fox Chase Cancer Center and Temple University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (E.A.R.)Disclosures: Disclosures can be viewed at www.acponline.org/authors/icmje/ConflictOfInterestForms.do?msNum=M17-3431.Corresponding Author: A. Russell Localio, PhD, Department of Biostatistics, Epidemiology and Informatics, University of Pennsylvania, 635 Blockley Hall, 423 Guardian Drive, Philadelphia, PA 19104-6021; e-mail, [email protected]upenn.edu.Current Author Addresses: Dr. Localio: Department of Biostatistics, Epidemiology and Informatics, University of Pennsylvania, 635 Blockley Hall, 423 Guardian Drive, Philadelphia, PA 19104-6021.Dr. Goodman: Stanford University School of Medicine, 259 Campus Drive, T265 Redwood Building/HRP, Stanford, CA 94305.Drs. Meibohm, Stack, and Mulrow: American College of Physicians, 190 N. Independence Mall West, Philadelphia, PA 19106.Dr. Cornell: Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, University of Texas Health Science Center, 7703 Floyd Curl Drive, San Antonio, TX 78229-3900.Dr. Ross: Fox Chase Cancer Center, 333 Cottman Avenue, Philadelphia, PA 19111.This article was published at Annals.org on 6 February 2018. PreviousarticleNextarticle Advertisement FiguresReferencesRelatedDetailsSee AlsoStatistical Code for Clinical Research Papers in a High-Impact Specialist Medical Journal Melissa Assel and Andrew J. 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