Ten Simple Rules for Initial Data Analysis

Rule 1: Develop an IDA plan that supports the research objective

Rule 2: IDA takes time and resources

Rule 3: Make IDA reproducible

Rule 4: Context matters: Know your data

Rule 5: Avoid sneak peeks—IDA does not touch the research question

Rule 6: Visualize your data

Rule 7: Check for what is missing

Rule 8: Communicate the findings and consider the consequences

Rule 9: Report IDA findings in research papers

Rule 10: Be proactive and rigorous

 

Reference:  PLoS Comput Biol 18(2): e1009819. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pcbi.1009819 

CSTAT Collaborator: Marianne Huebner