In search of a better reporting of scientific results: A data probability language

• Published in: Acta oecologica (Montrouge) 2022-11, Vol.117, p.103868, Article 103868
• Main Author: Martínez-Abraín, Alejandro
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Data probability language; Evidence-based language; Good praxis; NHST; p-values; Reporting of results
• ISSN: 1146-609X; 1873-6238
• DOI: 10.1016/j.actao.2022.103868

A recent paper published in Trends in Ecology and Evolution suggested a new alternative for the reporting of statistical results, using a language based on evidence against the null hypothesis. I agree that the reporting of null hypothesis statistical testing clearly needs improvement, but the proposal of an evidence-based language has several drawbacks: a) it goes back to the original Fisherian continuous interpretation of p-values, b) at the same time uses some loose categorizations and, c) most importantly, it may provide a wrong idea of what p-values actually are. By saying that there is very strong, strong, moderate, weak or little evidence of an effect, the reader gets the idea that p-values are providing Bayesian-type information on the probability of the null hypothesis given our data. However, p-values are only providing information on the probability of having obtained our data (or more extreme data), under the trueness of the null hypothesis. That is why I suggest reporting results using a data probability-based language, together with a previous and separate specification of the magnitude of the effects. •A historical review of the origins of language problems in ecological statistics is presented, written in plain language.•A new language is suggested to report results from null hypothesis statistical testing.•The new language is based on data probability.•The new proposal is an alternative to a recently proposed evidence-based language.