Despite calls for guidelines on reporting statistical aspects of studies, most journals have still not included in their instructions for authors more than a paragraph or two about reporting statistical methods and results. However, given that many statistical errors concern basic statistics, a comprehensive – and comprehensible – set of reporting guidelines might improve how statistical analyses are documented. The SAMPL guidelines are designed to be included in a journal’s Instructions for Authors. These guide - lines tell authors, journal editors, and reviewers how to report basic statistical methods and results. Although these guidelines are limited to the most common statistical analyses, they are nevertheless sufficient to prevent most of the reporting deficiencies routinely found in scientific articles.