Quantum mechanics

Cognitive psychology

Philosophy

Statistics

Causal inference

Interpretation (philosophy)

Ambiguity

Economics

Computer science

Physics

Psychology

Task (project management)

Mathematics

Management

Causal model

Inference

Epistemology

Econometrics

Artificial intelligence

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Observational study

Causality (physics)

American Journal of Public Health

Causal inference is a core task of science. However, authors and editors often refrain from explicitly acknowledging the causal goal of research projects; they refer to causal effect estimates as associational estimates. This commentary argues that using the term “causal” is necessary to improve the quality of observational research. Specifically, being explicit about the causal objective of a study reduces ambiguity in the scientific question, errors in the data analysis, and excesses in the interpretation of the results.

The C-Word: Scientific Euphemisms Do Not Improve Causal Inference From Observational Data