[Pitfalls in the statistical world].

Mistakes in the acquisition, evaluation, analysis and reporting of data often occur because there is a lack of awareness of the methodological problem. They can have far-reaching consequences for the reception of results of scientific primary studies and therefore for the clinical practice and healthcare. This article aims at raising awareness for a responsible handling of study data and for avoiding questionable or incorrect practices. It presents some examples of statistical pitfalls in empirical research practice, which increase the probability of false positive results and shows possibilities to avoid such risks.