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Meta-research: Why research on research matters

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  • John P A Ioannidis

Abstract

Meta-research is the study of research itself: its methods, reporting, reproducibility, evaluation, and incentives. Given that science is the key driver of human progress, improving the efficiency of scientific investigation and yielding more credible and more useful research results can translate to major benefits. The research enterprise grows very fast. Both new opportunities for knowledge and innovation and new threats to validity and scientific integrity emerge. Old biases abound, and new ones continuously appear as novel disciplines emerge with different standards and challenges. Meta-research uses an interdisciplinary approach to study, promote, and defend robust science. Major disruptions are likely to happen in the way we pursue scientific investigation, and it is important to ensure that these disruptions are evidence based.

Suggested Citation

  • John P A Ioannidis, 2018. "Meta-research: Why research on research matters," PLOS Biology, Public Library of Science, vol. 16(3), pages 1-6, March.
    • Handle: RePEc:plo:pbio00:2005468
    DOI: 10.1371/journal.pbio.2005468
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Shareen A Iqbal & Joshua D Wallach & Muin J Khoury & Sheri D Schully & John P A Ioannidis, 2016. "Reproducible Research Practices and Transparency across the Biomedical Literature," PLOS Biology, Public Library of Science, vol. 14(1), pages 1-13, January.
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    3. Daniele Fanelli, 2009. "How Many Scientists Fabricate and Falsify Research? A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Survey Data," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 4(5), pages 1-11, May.
    4. Wang, Yuandi & Hu, Ruifeng & Liu, Meijun, 2017. "The geotemporal demographics of academic journals from 1950 to 2013 according to Ulrich’s database," Journal of Informetrics, Elsevier, vol. 11(3), pages 655-671.
    5. Michail Kovanis & Raphaël Porcher & Philippe Ravaud & Ludovic Trinquart, 2016. "The Global Burden of Journal Peer Review in the Biomedical Literature: Strong Imbalance in the Collective Enterprise," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 11(11), pages 1-14, November.
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    Cited by:

    1. Ioannou, Petros & Giuliano, Genevieve & Dessouky, Maged & Chen, Pengfei & Dexter, Sue, 2020. "Freight Load Balancing and Efficiencies in Alternative Fuel Freight Modes," Institute of Transportation Studies, Working Paper Series qt3ns4b894, Institute of Transportation Studies, UC Davis.
    2. Simone Turchetti & Roberto Lalli, 2020. "Envisioning a “science diplomacy 2.0”: on data, global challenges, and multi-layered networks," Palgrave Communications, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 7(1), pages 1-9, December.

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