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bioRxiv · 10.1101/121079

Beyond differences in means: robust graphical methods to compare two groups in neuroscience

Rousselet, G. A.·Pernet, C. R.·Wilcox, R. R.
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Abstract

If many changes are necessary to improve the quality of neuroscience research, one relatively simple step could have great pay-offs: to promote the adoption of detailed graphical methods, combined with robust inferential statistics. Here we illustrate how such methods can lead to a much more detailed understanding of group differences than bar graphs and t-tests on means. To complement the neuroscientists toolbox, we present two powerful tools that can help us understand how groups of observations differ: the shift function and the difference asymmetry function. These tools can be combined with detailed visualisations to provide complementary perspectives about the data. We provide implementations in R and Matlab of the graphical tools, and all the examples in the article can be reproduced using R scripts.

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Rousselet, G. A., Pernet, C. R., Wilcox, R. R.. 2017-03-27. Beyond differences in means: robust graphical methods to compare two groups in neuroscience. https://doi.org/10.1101/121079

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