Misuse of analysis of variance in African biomedical journals: a call for more vigilance

Abstract

As of 31 December 2020, the information on the web page of AJOL database showed a total number of 873 African journals, of which 168 (19.2%) were biomedical-related journals. Articles in 42 journals (25%) of the 168 biomedical-related journals employed one or more ANOVA statistical tests at least in one of the articles of their current issues (December 2020). Of the 42 journals that used the ANOVA test, 15 (41.7%) journals published papers that misused the test, while 36 journals reported studies that used the test correctly. Nine journals published articles that comprise both correct use and misuse of ANOVA test