misanalyze

Misanalyze is the act of analyzing something incorrectly, resulting in a flawed or misleading interpretation. In contrast to a correct analysis, a misanalysis may arise from methodological error, biased assumptions, or insufficient or misrepresented data. The term is used across disciplines to describe analytic errors in reasoning and conclusion drawing.

Etymology: The word misanalyze is formed from the prefix mis- meaning wrong, and analyze meaning to examine in detail. It is a relatively informal coinage and is not yet part of all standard dictionaries. In scholarly writing, researchers may prefer terms such as erroneous analysis, faulty analysis, or misinterpretation to describe specific failures.

Causes and patterns: Common sources include biased sample selection, measurement error, p-hacking, overfitting, confirmation bias, or flawed statistical reasoning. A misanalysis often conflates correlation with causation, generalizes beyond the data, or ignores confounding factors. In data science, misanalysis can result from data leakage, model misspecification, or improper validation.

Impact and examples: Misanalysis can distort scientific findings, misinform policy decisions, or degrade the trustworthiness of reports. In journalism and statistics, it can arise from misreporting results, selective emphasis, or poor peer review. Recognizing misanalysis involves scrutinizing methodology, data provenance, and the robustness of conclusions.

See also misinterpretation, data bias, faulty reasoning, and statistical illiteracy.