Teaching replication

Abstract

Replication is held as the gold standard for ensuring the reliability of published scientific literature. But conducting direct replications is expensive, time-consuming, and unrewarded under current publication practices. So who will do them? Our answer is that students in laboratory classes should replicate recent findings as part of their training in experimental methods. In our own courses, we have found that replicating cutting-edge results is exciting and fun, it gives students the opportunity to make real scientific contributions (provided supervision is appropriate), and it provides object lessons about the scientific process, the importance of reporting standards, and the value of openness.