The secret lives of experiments: Methods reporting in the fMRI literature
The secret lives of experiments: Methods reporting in the fMRI literature
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DOI：
10.1016/j.neuroimage.2012.07.004
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发表时间：
2012-10-15
期刊：
影响因子：
5.7
通讯作者：
Carp, Joshua
中科院分区：
文献类型：
--
作者：
Carp, Joshua
研究结果的重复对科学认识的进步至关重要。因此，大多数科学期刊要求作者报告足够详细的实验过程，以便独立研究人员复制他们的工作。功能性神经影像学文献中的研究报告在多大程度上符合这一标准？本研究评估了241篇最近的fMRI文章的方法报告和方法选择。许多研究没有报告关于实验设计、数据获取和分析的关键方法学细节。此外，除了最大的统计效应外，许多研究都没有能力检测到任何效应。最后，数据收集和分析方法在研究中具有高度灵活性，几乎与样本中的研究一样多的独特分析管道。由于假阳性结果的比率被认为随着实验设计的灵活性而增加，功能神经成像领域可能特别容易出现假阳性。总之，本研究记录了fMRI研究中方法报告的显著差距。改进研究报告中的方法描述将为该领域带来重大好处。(C) 2012爱思唯尔公司版权所有。
Replication of research findings is critical to the progress of scientific understanding. Accordingly, most scientific journals require authors to report experimental procedures in sufficient detail for independent researchers to replicate their work. To what extent do research reports in the functional neuroimaging literature live up to this standard? The present study evaluated methods reporting and methodological choices across 241 recent fMRI articles. Many studies did not report critical methodological details with regard to experimental design, data acquisition, and analysis. Further, many studies were underpowered to detect any but the largest statistical effects. Finally, data collection and analysis methods were highly flexible across studies, with nearly as many unique analysis pipelines as there were studies in the sample. Because the rate of false positive results is thought to increase with the flexibility of experimental designs, the field of functional neuroimaging may be particularly vulnerable to false positives. In sum, the present study documented significant gaps in methods reporting among fMRI studies. Improved methodological descriptions in research reports would yield significant benefits for the field. (C) 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.