Preprint Article Version 1 Preserved in Portico This version is not peer-reviewed

Researcher Conduct Determines Data Reliability

Version 1 : Received: 4 April 2018 / Approved: 5 April 2018 / Online: 5 April 2018 (10:54:09 CEST)

How to cite: Wass, M.N.; Ray, L.; Michaelis, M. Researcher Conduct Determines Data Reliability. Preprints 2018, 2018040068. https://doi.org/10.20944/preprints201804.0068.v1 Wass, M.N.; Ray, L.; Michaelis, M. Researcher Conduct Determines Data Reliability. Preprints 2018, 2018040068. https://doi.org/10.20944/preprints201804.0068.v1

Abstract

A lack of data reproducibility (“reproducibility crisis”) is debated across many scientific and medical disciplines. A systematic analysis of the available evidence on the reliability of scientific data revealed that, although the existence of a reproducibility crisis is widely perceived, conclusive data on the scale of the problem are lacking. Most importantly we found that, although the debate is largely focused on methodological issues, researcher conduct defines research standards and in turn data reliability. The availability of reliable methods itself does not guarantee good practice. Moreover, research is typically characterised by a lack of established methods due to its immanent novelty. Despite the crucial importance of researcher conduct, research and conclusive data on the determinants of researcher behaviour are missing. In conclusion, meta-research is urgently needed that establishes an understanding of the factors that determine researcher behaviour. This knowledge can then be used to implement and iteratively improve measures, which incentivise researchers to apply the highest standards resulting in high quality data.

Keywords

reproducibility crisis; replication crisis; data reliability; bias; publication bias; meta-research

Subject

Social Sciences, Behavior Sciences

Comments (0)

We encourage comments and feedback from a broad range of readers. See criteria for comments and our Diversity statement.

Leave a public comment
Send a private comment to the author(s)
* All users must log in before leaving a comment
Views 0
Downloads 0
Comments 0
Metrics 0


×
Alerts
Notify me about updates to this article or when a peer-reviewed version is published.
We use cookies on our website to ensure you get the best experience.
Read more about our cookies here.