Note to users. If you're seeing this message, it means that your browser cannot find this page's style/presentation instructions -- or possibly that you are using a browser that does not support current Web standards. Find out more about why this message is appearing, and what you can do to make your experience of our site the best it can be.

Science 19 November 1999:
Vol. 286. no. 5444, pp. 1460 - 1464
DOI: 10.1126/science.286.5444.1460
Prev | Table of Contents | Next

News Focus

STATISTICS:
Bayes Offers a 'New' Way to Make Sense of Numbers

David Malakoff

Bayesian statistics, which allows researchers to use everything from hunches to hard data to compute the probability that a hypothesis is correct (see p. 1461), is experiencing a renaissance in fields of science ranging from astrophysics to genomics and in real-world applications such as testing new drugs and setting catch limits for fish. Advances in computers and the limitations of traditional statistical methods are part of the reason for the new popularity of this approach, first proposed in a 1763 paper by the Reverend Thomas Bayes. In addition, advocates say it produces answers that are easier to understand and forces users to be explicit about biases obscured by reigning "frequentist" approaches. Detractors, on the other hand, fear that because Bayesian analysis can take into account prior opinion, it could spawn less objective evaluations of experimental results.

Read the Full Text


THIS ARTICLE HAS BEEN CITED BY OTHER ARTICLES:
Bayesian clinical trials at the University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center.
S. Biswas, D. D Liu, J J. Lee, and D. A Berry (2009)
Clinical Trials 6, 205-216
   Abstract »    PDF »
Interpreting Trial Results in Light of Conflicting Evidence: A Bayesian Analysis of Adjuvant Chemotherapy for Non-Small-Cell Lung Cancer.
R. A. Miksad, M. Gonen, T. J. Lynch, and T. G. Roberts Jr (2009)
J. Clin. Oncol. 27, 2245-2252
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
Linking Mineral Deposit Models to Quantitative Risk Analysis and Decision-Making in Exploration.
O. P. Kreuzer, M. A. Etheridge, P. Guj, M. E. McMahon, and D. J. Holden (2008)
Economic Geology 103, 829-850
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
Toward an evidence-based toxicology.
S Hoffmann and T Hartung (2006)
Human and Experimental Toxicology 25, 497-513
   Abstract »    PDF »
Enhancing the Development and Approval of Acute Stroke Therapies: Stroke Therapy Academic Industry Roundtable.
M. Fisher and for the Stroke Therapy Academic Industry Roundtabl (2005)
Stroke 36, 1808-1813
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
Toward Wisdom From Failure: Lessons From Neuroprotective Stroke Trials and New Therapeutic Directions.
D. J. Gladstone, S. E. Black, and A. M. Hakim (2002)
Stroke 33, 2123-2136
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
Determination of the Prevalence of Infection with Mycobacterium tuberculosis among Persons Vaccinated against Bacillus Calmette-Guerin in South Korea.
B. E. Neuenschwander, M. Zwahlen, S. J. Kim, E. G. Lee, and H. L. Rieder (2002)
Am. J. Epidemiol. 155, 654-663
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
Statistical Analysis of Skin Tumor Data from Tg.AC Mouse Bioassays.
D. B. Dunson, J. K. Haseman, A. P. J. M. van Birgelen, S. Stasiewicz, and R. W. Tennant (2000)
Toxicol. Sci. 55, 293-302
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »


To Advertise     Find Products

Science. ISSN 0036-8075 (print), 1095-9203 (online)