Use of the correlation coefficient in agricultural sciences: problems, pitfalls and how to deal with them

Abstract

This paper discusses a number of aspects concerning the analysis, interpretation and reporting of correlations in agricultural sciences. Various problems that one might encounter with these aspects are identified, and suggestions of how to overcome these problems are proposed. Some of the examples presented show how mistaken and even misleading the interpretation of correlation can be when one ignores simple rules of analysis.

experimental design; linearity; path analysis; Simpson's paradox; statistical analysis