What is described as the act of distorting or withholding facts to mislead others?

The act of distorting or withholding facts to mislead others is best described as deception. This concept is particularly relevant in research and data reporting, where presenting information inaccurately can lead to false conclusions or understanding. Deception can involve presenting data in a misleading way, omitting critical information that provides context, or manipulating variables to create a false narrative.

In the context of research, maintaining integrity and transparency is crucial. Researchers must be careful to present their findings accurately and ethically. When deception is involved, it undermines the trustworthiness of the research, which is essential for scientific progress and integrity.

Other concepts such as experimenter bias, convenience sampling, and directionality problem pertain to specific methodological issues in research rather than the act of misleading by distorting facts. Experimenter bias involves the influence of researchers on the results, convenience sampling relates to how samples are chosen, and directionality problem pertains to the ambiguity of cause-and-effect relationships in correlational studies. Each of these reflects different challenges in conducting research, but they do not encapsulate the concept of intentionally misleading others through distortion or withholding information.