The Revolution with a Solution: All is not Quiet on the Statistical and Methodological Myths and Urban Legends Front

• Published in: Building Methodological Bridges Vol. 6; pp. 237 - 257
• Main Author: Vandenberg, Robert J.
• Format: Book Chapter
• Language: English
• Published: Emerald Group Publishing Limited 01.01.2011
• ISBN: 1780520263; 9781780520261
• ISSN: 1479-8387
• DOI: 10.1108/S1479-8387(2011)0000006009

Purpose – The purpose of this chapter is to present a subset of seven statistical and methodological myths and urban legends (SMMULs). When present, SMMULs degrade the overall research process and make manuscript evaluation problematic during the review process. SMMULs covered here included those pertaining to accepting the theoretical model, conventional cutoff values, exploratory factor analysis, common method bias, moderation analysis, Baron and Kenny's four-step mediation test, and permitting correlated item residuals.Design/Methodology – Given that the details underlying the SMMULs have already been published, the present chapter was a summary of each. The summaries presented the urban legend and sources for it. Subsequently, the kernel of truth underlying the SMMUL was presented, and how this truth may have been lost and distorted. Each summary ends with the recommended “good” practices as presented by the original authors.Findings/Implications – The implication for researchers is to modify their current practices to strengthen their research and to make better inferences. And for editors and reviewers, the implication is to develop accurate decision rules to strengthen the review process.Originality/Value – The overall value of the chapter is to improve the research process in general.