Sampling Flies or Sampling Flaws? Experimental Design and Inference Strength in Forensic Entomology

Forensic entomology is an inferential science because postmortem interval estimates are based on the extrapolation of results obtained in field or laboratory settings. Although enormous gains in scientific understanding and methodological practice have been made in forensic entomology over the last...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of medical entomology 2012-01, Vol.49 (1), p.1-10
Main Authors: Michaud, J.-P., Schoenly, Kenneth G., Moreau, G.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Animals
Biological and medical sciences
carrion-arthropod succession
Data processing
Diptera - growth & development
Diptera - physiology
Ecosystem
Entomology - methods
Entomology - standards
experimental design
forensic entomology
Forensic medicine
Forensic science
Forensic Sciences - methods
Forensic Sciences - standards
FORUM
Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology
inferential statistics
Larva - growth & development
Larva - physiology
Medical sciences
Medically important nuisances and vectors, pests of stored products and materials: population survey and control
Postmortem Changes
pseudoreplication
Public health. Hygiene
Public health. Hygiene-occupational medicine
Replication
Research Design
Reviews
Sampling
Seasons
Selection Bias
Time Factors
Vectors. Intermediate hosts
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Summary:Forensic entomology is an inferential science because postmortem interval estimates are based on the extrapolation of results obtained in field or laboratory settings. Although enormous gains in scientific understanding and methodological practice have been made in forensic entomology over the last few decades, a majority of the field studies we reviewed do not meet the standards for inference, which are 1) adequate replication, 2) independence of experimental units, and 3) experimental conditions that capture a representative range of natural variability. Using a mock case-study approach, we identify design flaws in field and lab experiments and suggest methodological solutions for increasing inference strength that can inform future casework. Suggestions for improving data reporting in future field studies are also proposed.
ISSN:0022-2585
1938-2928
0022-2585
DOI:10.1603/ME10229