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Putting replication in its place

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  27 July 2018

Evan Heit
Affiliation:
E.H. Division of Research on Learning, Education and Human Resources Directorate, National Science Foundation, Alexandria, VA 22314. ekheit@nsf.gov
Caren M. Rotello
Affiliation:
CMR Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA 01003. caren@psych.umass.eduhttps://www.umass.edu/pbs/people/caren-rotello

Abstract

Direct replication is valuable but should not be elevated over other worthwhile research practices, including conceptual replication and checking of statistical assumptions. As noted by Rotello et al. (2015), replicating studies without checking the statistical assumptions can lead to increased confidence in incorrect conclusions. Finally, successful replications should not be elevated over failed replications, given that both are informative.

Type
Open Peer Commentary
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2018 

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Footnotes

1.

Parts of this commentary are a work of the U.S. Government and are not subject to copyright protection in the United States.

2.

This material includes work performed by Evan Heit while serving at the National Science Foundation. Any opinion, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation.

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