Define the variable of interest: Determine the key variable you are interested in, such as incidence of a particular disease, treatment outcomes, or exposure levels. Set criteria for deviation: Establish criteria for what constitutes a "deviant" case. This could be based on statistical thresholds (e.g., cases that fall beyond two standard deviations from the mean) or practical considerations (e.g., cases with the highest or lowest values). Collect data: Gather data on the variable of interest from a representative sample or population. Identify cases: Use the defined criteria to identify the deviant cases within the collected data.
