> One caveat I would mention about data analysis would be that statistics is not just number crunching Agreed. Analysis that is well presented tells a story. T

> One caveat I would mention about data analysis would be that statistics is not just number crunching Agreed. Analysis that is well presented tells a story. The story begins with where the data comes from, then describes how the data was analyzed, and finally how the results relate back to the real world. If any of these pieces are missing, or unconvincing, it's a good sign that something is off, like you say, with either a) The data, or b) the significance of the conclusion. I emphasize the story aspect because the act of laying out all of the assumptions in a semi-narrative form goes a long way towards deobfuscating the potentially confusing statistics. It is also the sort of discipline that can help to lay bare all of the assumptions that could make you sure that you know the answer.