Grouped circular data in biology: advice for effectively implementing statistical procedures.

ABSTRACT:

Abstract

The most common statistical procedure with a sample of circular data is to test the null hypothesis that points are spread uniformly around the circle without a preferred direction. An array of tests for this has been developed. However, these tests were designed for continuously distributed data, whereas often (e.g. due to limited precision of measurement techniques) collected data is aggregated into a set of discrete values (e.g. rounded to the nearest degree). This disparity can cause an uncontrolled increase in type I error rate, an effect that is particularly problematic for tests that are based on the distribution of arc lengths between adjacent points (such as the Rao spacing test). Here, we demonstrate that an easy-to-apply modification can correct this problem, an

SUBMITTER: Landler L 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7373216 | biostudies-literature | 2020

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature