Reproducibility or Replicability

You may have already come across such terms as ‘reproducibility’ and ‘replicability’ in the process of your research work. Another concept of ‘repeatability’ seems equal to replicability. All these concepts can be used interchangeably, though they are different due to the methods and techniques applied to these processes.

You can call your research reproducible when the data you have once received can be reanalyzed with the help of the same methods and produce the same outcomes. It means that the analysis was done correctly and straightforwardly.

When we call the study replicable or repeatable, it means that the research can be done again with the help of the same methods but with new data and bring the same results. It means the outcomes of the previous study were obtained fairly and reliably.

The Importance of Reproducibility and Replicability in Research Studies

We use reproducibility and replicability to ensure the results’ reliability. You can check the quality and relevance of the research methods you have used in your study or the validity of the research of others you would like to take as a basis for your own study.

However, reproducibility alone cannot guarantee the correctness of the results. It does not require new data, so it is only the minimal condition for accepting the study as reliable. It rather demonstrates that the results are informative and were obtained transparently. If you want to ensure the research's reproducibility, you need to put forward all the most essential raw data. On their basis, anyone else will be able to make this analysis again and, desirably, obtain the same results.

Many researchers also want to test the reliability and validity of their study process by its replication. Such methods allow them to see whether they can come to the same conclusions when they want to collect new data and make another analysis.

Therefore, replication studies are needed for the same researchers to verify the results of their work or for other researchers who want to use a similar procedure for their own studies.

In general, reproducibility and repeatability are used to check how honest previous researchers were in their findings to avoid using invented or distorted results in further investigations. If you want to apply reproducibility to your research, you mean to check it for mistakes or inconsistencies.

What Factors Cause the Replication Crisis?

Many fields of study can face the impossibility of replicating research results. Researching teams working in medicine, economics, or psychology can come across different results and assume that the initial research was not reliable.

The factors that can add a lot to this discrepancy involve:

• vague and inconsistent definitions of the main concepts and terms;
• unclear explanations in the discussion section;
• unclear or incomplete descriptions of research methods;
• lack of transparency in raw data presentation;
• gaps in the description of the data analysis process.

Bias in publication can also influence replication. Most scientific journals tend to reject studies that are meant to test and support hypotheses. They prefer to publish unique and non-replicated research works that feature statistically correct and positive results.

Provision of Reproducibility and Replicability in Research Studies

If you want to be sure that your research is reproducible and replicable and that its results are reliable and valid, think about the detailed description of the study procedure. A consistent and detailed methodology section matters a lot. Try to use straightforward and clear language, and never write in a vague and flowery manner.

Characteristics of an Understandable Methodology Section

You should include the detailed steps of your research process in the methodology section. Relate all of them to your research question to make it consistent. Make it so transparent that even those who do not know anything about your research topic can repeat the process based entirely on your explanations.

Here are some vital points that should be included in this section:

• the research type (e.g., quantitative, qualitative, or mixed)
• research methods (e.g., surveys or interviews)
• characteristics of participants or respondents (social status, age, or educational backgrounds)
• materials used in the study (audio recording, video clips, software, etc.)
• the procedure
• methods of data analysis (statistical or any others)
• reliability and validity and what can support it
• results that affected making conclusions
• appendices with transcripts or questions

You can have made errors in your research, or the results have turned out to differ from those you expected. Research processes always go like that. However, your paper should describe these issues or limitations to avoid them in the following studies. You can mention these problems in the discussion or even the conclusion sections. Where to do that can depend on the academic instructions and requirements of your institution or study program.

Make the Language As Clear and Unambiguous As Possible

Your writing should be immensely clear. The straightforward expression of all the ideas and description of the findings will add a lot to the research reproducibility and replicability (repeatability). Never use vague language, and watch out whether all the meanings are understandable in only one way. Compose accurate descriptions and deep explanations of the methods chosen and the results you have obtained.

Let’s consider the following examples of good and bad language use:

❌ The respondents of this questionnaire were people working in an office.	✔️ The 45 respondents of this questionnaire were young people aged 25-30 with a Bachelor’s degree, working in the construction company’s office.
❌ The questionnaire was given online and then coded.	✔️ The three-part structured questionnaire's results were summarized, calculated, open-coded, and analyzed.
❌ A t-test was utilized to compare results.	✔️ A paired t-test was applied to compare and contrast the results provided by two separate groups.

Final Thoughts

Here, we have compiled the most characteristic features of reproducibility and replicability (repeatability) as the vital procedures used to test the reliability and validity of research results. We attempted to explain the importance of these methods for enhancing the credibility and trustworthiness of the study. You should also consider the tips provided here to avoid biased and distorted results and possible negative academic outcomes.