Guidelines for describing a microbiome data analysis

Scientific advances in microbial ecology rely on both high-quality data and rigorous analysis. At present, Statistical Analysis sections of many microbiome papers lack essential detail and justification. To support researchers in clearly and transparently presenting their methods, we provide guidelines for describing a microbiome data analysis. The guidelines span data transformations, justification for modeling choices, parameter interpretation, sensitivity analyses, code and data availability, and more. These guidelines are available under a Creative Commons Zero (CC0) license. We hope to accelerate the accumulation and dissemination of scientific knowledge by permitting their condition-free distribution, adaptation, and development. Methods These guidelines were drafted by the authors.