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Literature Review Volume 9 Issue 1
Practical problems and challenges in performing statistical analysis in social sciences research
Loso Judijanto
Received: March 31, 2026 | Published: April 27, 2026
Citation: Judijanto L. Practical problems and challenges in performing statistical analysis in social sciences research. Open Access J Sci. 2026;9(1):156-168. DOI: 10.15406/oajs.2026.09.00300
Abstract
Statistical analysis plays a central role in empirical research within the social sciences, yet numerous studies have reported recurring methodological and practical difficulties in its application. These challenges often arise from the complexity of social data, the diversity of research designs, and varying levels of statistical expertise among researchers. This study aims to systematically examine the practical problems and methodological challenges encountered when conducting statistical analyses in social science research by synthesizing findings from the existing scholarly literature. The study employs a Systematic Literature Review (SLR) approach to identify, evaluate, and synthesize relevant peer-reviewed publications. Data were collected through a structured search in the Scopus database using predefined keyword combinations related to statistical analysis and social sciences research. The screening process followed systematic inclusion criteria involving publication year, language, and accessibility, resulting in a final dataset of 37 peer-reviewed articles published between 2019 and 2025. The selected studies were analyzed through thematic synthesis to identify recurring patterns in reported statistical challenges. The findings reveal five major categories of difficulties frequently reported in the literature: inappropriate selection of statistical methods, limitations in sample size and statistical power, issues related to data quality and measurement reliability, violations of statistical model assumptions, and misinterpretation of statistical significance. These challenges collectively influence the reliability and validity of quantitative findings in social sciences research. The review concludes that strengthening methodological training, improving transparency in statistical reporting, and ensuring better alignment between research design and statistical procedures are essential for improving the quality of statistical practices. Future research may investigate emerging analytical approaches and methodological innovations to address these challenges in social science research.
Keywords: statistical analysis, social sciences research, methodological challenges, systematic literature review, quantitative methods
©2026 Judijanto. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and build upon your work non-commercially.