Essential 10

7. Statistical methods Provide details of the statistical methods used for each analysis, including software used. examples

Examples

Example 1

“Analysis of variance was performed using the GLM procedure of SAS (SAS Inst., Cary, NC). Average pen values were used as the experimental unit for the performance parameters. The model considered the effects of block and dietary treatment (5 diets). Data were adjusted by the covariant of initial body weight. Orthogonal contrasts were used to test the effects of SDPP processing (UV vs no UV) and dietary SDPP level (3% vs 6%). Results are presented as least squares means. The level of significance was set at P < 0.05.” [1] 

Example 2

“All risk factors of interest were investigated in a single model. Logistic regression allows blocking factors and explicitly investigates the effect of each independent variable controlling for the effects of all others...As we were interested in husbandry and environmental effects, we blocked the analysis by important biological variables (age; backstrain; inbreeding; sex; breeding status) to control for their effect. (The role of these biological variables in barbering behavior, particularly with reference to barbering as a model for the human disorder trichotillomania, is described elsewhere…). We also blocked by room to control for the effect of unknown environmental variables associated with this design variable. We tested for the effect of the following husbandry and environmental risk factors: cage mate relationships (i.e. siblings, non-siblings, or mixed); cage type (i.e. plastic or steel); cage height from floor; cage horizontal position (whether the cage was on the side or the middle of a rack); stocking density; and the number of adults in the cage. Cage material by cage height from floor; and cage material by cage horizontal position interactions were examined, and then removed from the model as they were nonsignificant. N = 1959 mice were included in this analysis.” [2] 

  1. Polo J, Rodríguez C, Ródenas J, Russell LE, Campbell JM, Crenshaw JD, Torrallardona D and Pujols J (2015). Ultraviolet Light (UV) Inactivation of Porcine Parvovirus in Liquid Plasma and Effect of UV Irradiated Spray Dried Porcine Plasma on Performance of Weaned Pigs. PLOS ONE. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0133008
  2. Garner JP, Dufour B, Gregg LE, Weisker SM and Mench JA (2004). Social and husbandry factors affecting the prevalence and severity of barbering ('whisker trimming') by laboratory mice. Applied Animal Behaviour Science. doi: 10.1016/j.applanim.2004.07.004