Menu Close

What is the best definition of anecdotal?

What is the best definition of anecdotal?

Definition of anecdotal 1 : based on or consisting of reports or observations of usually unscientific observers anecdotal evidence health benefits that may be more anecdotal than factual. 2a : of, relating to, or consisting of anecdotes an anecdotal biography.

What is the meaning of the word anecdotal evidence?

: evidence in the form of stories that people tell about what has happened to them His conclusions are not supported by data; they are based only on anecdotal evidence.

What does purely anecdotal mean?

containing or consisting exclusively of anecdotes rather than connected discourse or research conducted under controlled conditions.

What is anecdotal medicine?

(an’ek-dō’-tal), Report of clinical experiences based on individual experience, rather than an organized investigation with standard research features, such as appropriate controls.

What is anecdotal problem?

Another problem with anecdotal experience is that we tend to give the most recent and negative experience undue bias. As a result of this phenomenon, most of us are inclined to be over-confident when making predictions based on a recent experience, even when we have more reliable probabilistic information on hand.

What does anecdotal mean in medical terms?

adjective Unsubstantiated; occurring as single or isolated event; referring to evidence based on subjective descriptions. Examples. Anecdotal patient response to an unproven method for cancer management; anecdotal cause-and-effect relationship between a noxious factor and a condition.

What is the difference between the word anecdote and antidote?

An anecdote is a brief story, usually told because it is relevant to the subject at hand. An antidote on the other hand is the cure for a poison, but can also be used figuratively for anything that solves a problem.

Can anecdotal evidence be used in a research paper?

The term anecdotal evidence is often used in research papers to highlight unreliable information that may be used as a starting point for rigorous investigation. For example, a medical research paper may mention the anecdotal evidence surrounding a traditional medicine as a reason for a hypothesis.

What is the problem with anecdotal evidence?

Anecdotal evidence is often unscientific or pseudoscientific because various forms of cognitive bias may affect the collection or presentation of evidence. For instance, someone who claims to have had an encounter with a supernatural being or alien may present a very vivid story, but this is not falsifiable.

How reliable is anecdotal evidence?

Table 8.1Comparison between reliable and unreliable use of anecdotal evidence

Anecdotal evidence is reliable Anecdotal evidence is unreliable
When the effects of treatment can be confirmed by repetition When the effects of the treatment cannot be confirmed by repetition