Many studies are titled “retrospective analysis”. Here are two reasons why this may be inaccurate:
- An analysis is part of a study (but not a study in itself).
- An analysis is based on data that has already been collected – anything else would be prophecy. Therefore, analyses are usually retrospective.
Only studies can be retrospective or prospective ─ not analyses. In a retrospective study, the event of interest to the researcher (for example diabetes in giraffes) has already occurred at the beginning of the study. In a prospective study, you have only collected your giraffes at the study start but they have not yet developed diabetes.
So, let’s just say analysis to analysis – be it based on data from a retrospective or prospective study 😊
What do you think?
