Internal and External Validity

Internal validity is the extent of the ability to attribute the observed effect  to the experimental variable, and not to other factors. External validity is the extent to which the effect can be generalized.  Poor experimental design can affect both types of validities.

Common mistakes which Researchers make

Here are some common mistakes which researchers often make during the study.


(1) Simpson's Paradox: Forgetting to use a weighting variable for combined assessment, which is irrelevant for the individual group assessment and the the direction of effect seem reversed when the groups are combined. Let's take a real life example from a medical study comparing the success rates of two treatments for kidney stones.

Four important metrics to be reported in any research finding

Any research work or study should essentially report four metrics

(1) Statistical Significance (p value or α level): A result is termed as "statistically significant" if it is unlikely to have occurred by chance. Following six common mis-perceptions about the meaning of statistical significance may be clearly noted