AESTHETICS AND DECIMALS.

With the growing use of statistical analysis there seems to be an increase in the attention paid to the form of presentation. In large numbers of manuscripts, statistical considerations appear to have been subordinated to the aesthetic felling that percentages are not balanced figures unless they are given to one, or even two, decimal places. The degree of accuracy indicated by such a procedure may be gratifying, provided it is accuracy which is indicated. In studies which involve sampling, it is customary to describe statistical measures in terms of their standard errors. Unless one intends to make comparisons of differences of less than one percent, the apparent accuracy gained by utilizing the last digit is illusory, and a waste of time and paper. Statistical analysis is a well-tempered tool which can be used only within the limitations permitted by the data. To disregard these limitations, makes statistical analysis a less useful tool and may reflect discredit upon it as well as the user.