Color poster with text, table, and images.Misrepresentation of data, or “spin,” comes in
various forms and can be intentional or
unintentional. One of the most prevalent forms
of spin involves misleading interpretation –
specifically, making causal claims that are not
supported by the findings or research design.5
Researchers in the allied health disciplines,
education, and counseling have voiced
concern about unjustified causal claims and have
encouraged researchers to match the language
they use in their reports to the specific type of study they have conducted. Here, we investigate the frequency with which
scientists in psychology use unwarranted causal
language in scholarly descriptions of their work.University of Wisconsin--Eau Claire Office of Research and Sponsored Programs