“True art is to hide art” ~ Anon (often misattributed to Virgil)

“True statistics is to hide statistics” ~ Methods Appraisal

A well designed and executed clinical trial only requires a simple analysis. A complex, aggressive analysis can be indicative of poor design or a trial gone astray.

A complex analysis usually requires the statistician to speak (exhaustively) on behalf of the data (left).

A skilfully designed, well executed study requires simple analysis allowing the data to speak for itself (right).

Test: Read the Results section out loud. Whose voice do you hear: The Data’s, or the Statistician’s?

…the strength of the evidence is inversely associated with the dependence on statistical manipulation. (Hall, D; 2006)

Suggested reading: