scholarly journals Mapping the discursive dimensions of the reproducibility crisis: A mixed methods analysis

PLoS ONE ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 16 (7) ◽  
pp. e0254090
Author(s):  
Nicole C. Nelson ◽  
Kelsey Ichikawa ◽  
Julie Chung ◽  
Momin M. Malik

To those involved in discussions about rigor, reproducibility, and replication in science, conversation about the “reproducibility crisis” appear ill-structured. Seemingly very different issues concerning the purity of reagents, accessibility of computational code, or misaligned incentives in academic research writ large are all collected up under this label. Prior work has attempted to address this problem by creating analytical definitions of reproducibility. We take a novel empirical, mixed methods approach to understanding variation in reproducibility discussions, using a combination of grounded theory and correspondence analysis to examine how a variety of authors narrate the story of the reproducibility crisis. Contrary to expectations, this analysis demonstrates that there is a clear thematic core to reproducibility discussions, centered on the incentive structure of science, the transparency of methods and data, and the need to reform academic publishing. However, we also identify three clusters of discussion that are distinct from the main body of articles: one focused on reagents, another on statistical methods, and a final cluster focused on the heterogeneity of the natural world. Although there are discursive differences between scientific and popular articles, we find no strong differences in how scientists and journalists write about the reproducibility crisis. Our findings demonstrate the value of using qualitative methods to identify the bounds and features of reproducibility discourse, and identify distinct vocabularies and constituencies that reformers should engage with to promote change.

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nicole Christine Nelson ◽  
Kelsey Ichikawa ◽  
Julie Chung ◽  
Momin Malik

Addressing issues with the reproducibility of results is critical for scientific progress, but conflicting ideas about the sources of and solutions to irreproducibility are a barrier to change. Prior work has attempted to address this problem by creating analytical definitions of reproducibility. We take a novel empirical, mixed methods approach to understanding variation in reproducibility conversations, which yields a map of the discursive dimensions of these conversations. This analysis demonstrates that concerns about the incentive structure of science, the transparency of methods and data, and the need to reform academic publishing form the core of reproducibility discussions. We also identify three clusters of discussion that are distinct from the main group: one focused on reagents, another on statistical methods, and a final cluster focused the heterogeneity of the natural world. Although there are discursive differences between scientific and popular articles, there are no strong differences in how scientists and journalists write about the reproducibility crisis. Our findings show that conversations about reproducibility have a clear underlying structure, despite the broad scope and scale of the crisis. Our map demonstrates the value of using qualitative methods to identify the bounds and features of reproducibility discourse, and identifies distinct vocabularies and constituencies that reformers should engage with to promote change.


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Elena Petrovskaya ◽  
David Zendle

As the profit model in the video game industry shifts from upfront payment to continuous exposure to in-game microtransactions, new forms of monetisation are on the rise. One such example is battle passes: time-limited content which provides players with an opportunity to access rewards not available within the main body of the game. However, there has been minimal scrutiny of the battle pass and its effects on players to date. In this paper, we apply a mixed-methods approach to conduct an in-depth examination of the Battle Pass feature in Dota 2. We consider 1) quantitatively, the prevalence of the Battle Pass within the Dota 2 player community, and 2) qualitatively, player attitudes towards this feature. Quantitative findings show that, despite the rising profitability of the Battle Pass, its presence has little to no effect on player uptake in Dota 2. Qualitative findings indicate complex player attitudes in which positive views on the Battle Pass contrast with concerns over elitism and difficulty in achieving rewards without spending money.


2012 ◽  
Author(s):  
Adena T. Rottenstein ◽  
Ryan J. Dougherty ◽  
Alexis Strouse ◽  
Lily Hashemi ◽  
Hilary Baruch

2020 ◽  
Vol 13 (1) ◽  
pp. 64-91
Author(s):  
Mellie Torres ◽  
Alejandro E. Carrión ◽  
Roberto Martínez

Recent studies have focused on challenging deficit narratives and discourses perpetuating the criminalization of Latino men and boys. But even with this emerging literature, mainstream counter-narratives of young Latino boys and their attitudes towards manhood and masculinity stand in stark contrast to the dangerous and animalistic portrayals of Latino boys and men in the media and society. Utilizing a mixed-methods approach, the authors draw on the notion of counter-storytelling to explore how Latino boys try to reframe masculinity, manhood, and what they label as ‘responsible manhood.’ Counter-storytelling and narratives provide a platform from which to challenge the discourse, narratives, and imaginaries guiding the conceptualization of machismo. In their counter-narratives, Latino boys critiqued how they are raced, gendered, and Othered in derogatory ways.


Screen Bodies ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 5 (1) ◽  
pp. 31-55
Author(s):  
Samantha Eddy

The realm of horror provides a creative space in which the breakdown of social order can either expose power relations or further cement them by having them persist after the collapse. Carol Clover proposed that the 1970s slasher film genre—known for its sex and gore fanfare—provided feminist identification through its “final girl” indie invention. Over three decades later, with the genre now commercialized, this research exposes the reality of sexual and horrific imagery within the Hollywood mainstay. Using a mixed-methods approach, I develop four categories of depiction across cisgender representation in these films: violent, sexual, sexually violent, and postmortem. I explore the ways in which a white, heterosexist imagination has appropriated this once productive genre through the violent treatment of bodies. This exposes the means by which hegemonic, oppressive structures assimilate and sanitize counter-media. This article provides an important discussion on how counterculture is transformed in capital systems and then used to uphold the very structures it seeks to confront. The result of such assimilation is the violent treatment and stereotyping of marginalized identities in which creative efforts now pursue new means of brutalization and dehumanization.


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