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Replication Articles in Medical Research: A Guide
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Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association – 7th Edition – 9781433832178
Page 38 Review
Understanding Replication Articles in Medical Research
In medical research, replication is a crucial aspect of validating findings and ensuring the reliability of scientific knowledge. Replication articles report the results of studies designed to verify or reproduce findings from previous investigations. According to the American Psychological Association (APA), the primary goal of a replication study is to assess whether the conclusions drawn from an earlier study hold true or remain consistent despite variations in the execution of the original study.
Internal vs. External Replication
It’s important to distinguish between internal and external forms of replication. “There are internal and external forms of replication; only external replications are addressed in APA journal article reporting standards (see Section 3.10).” Internal replication involves verifying results within the same study, whereas external replication involves conducting a new study to validate the original findings. APA standards primarily focus on external replications.
External Replication: A Closer Look
“An external replication occurs when researchers obtain a new sample and duplicate, insofar as is possible or desirable, the features of the original study being replicated.” This means researchers must attempt to recreate the original study’s conditions and methods as closely as possible while using a new set of participants or data. However, there’s room for variation and innovation.
Variations in Replication Studies
While replicating the original study is essential, researchers can also introduce variations to test the generality of the findings. “New design, measures, and/or data-analysis methods can also be used to test whether a finding has generality beyond the particular situation studied in the original work, but any such variations must be clearly specified in the report.” This allows for a more robust understanding of the phenomenon under investigation.
Reporting Replication Studies
Clarity in reporting is paramount when publishing replication studies. Researchers must provide sufficient detail to allow readers to assess the nature and validity of the replication effort. The APA guidelines emphasize the importance of transparency in describing any variations from the original study protocol.
Types of External Replication
According to the text, external replications can be categorized into different types based on the level of fidelity to the original study: direct (exact, literal) replication, approximate replication, or conceptual (construct) replication. Understanding these distinctions is crucial for interpreting the results of replication studies.
Researchers need to provide detailed information allowing the audience to classify the replication type: “Researchers conducting an external replication should report sufficient information to allow readers to determine whether the study was a direct (exact, literal) replication, approximate replication, or conceptual (construct)”
Mixed Methods Research
While the excerpt primarily focuses on replication articles, it also touches upon mixed methods research. “Researchers who used a mixed methods approach should follow the mixed methods journal article reporting standards to report their findings (see Section 3.18).” Mixed methods research combines qualitative and quantitative approaches to provide a more comprehensive understanding of the research question.
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