researcher degrees of freedom

Researcher degrees of freedom refer to the many choices scientists have in conducting their analysis—such as selecting which data to include, how to define outcomes, or which statistical tests to use. While these options are necessary, they can unintentionally influence results, increasing the risk of false-positive findings or cherry-picking results that support a desired conclusion. Recognizing these freedoms is important for transparency and integrity, as they highlight the need for careful planning and reporting to ensure findings are robust and not just artifacts of analytical decisions made after seeing the data.