Bias in Research: The Word is Spreading

Dr. John Grohol over at PsychCentral has issued an excellent post on bias in research. He aptly describes some of the many biases that enter into the research process and why we'd better be quite careful before we jump on the evidence based medicine bandwagon. A teaser follows, in which he discusses evidence based medicine:

It’s like buying a 14-chapter book expecting to get the entire story. But instead of getting the entire story, you find chapters 10-14 are missing, and that chapters 3-9 were written by an author that didn’t appear on the front cover of the book. But it’s not quite so obvious as that. Nobody tells you that chapters 3-9 were written by someone else, and nobody mentions that it’s actually a 14-chapter book that’s missing 5 chapters. It’s no wonder you come away from the book feeling a little confused and betrayed. It’s nothing like you expected or were promised.

Very well said! I salute his excellent post and refer all readers to check it out. For a somewhat similar and certainly windier take on bias in the research process, please read my earlier post.

Hat Tip: Furious Seasons