When is science (un)reliable?
Level College / Upper Division (Undergraduates), Graduate / Professional · For Student · Language English
Abstract
In this course, we will explore the so‐called “reproducibility crisis” that has struck fields from psychology and economics to ecology and cancer biology. You will learn statistical principles at the heart of the reproducibility crisis, how disregard for those principles undermines the reliability of scientific inference, and how such disregard has been incentivized by various institutions. You will learn to recognize problematic research practices and will critically evaluate scientific claims both in the scientific literature and in the popular press. Further, you will evaluate and debate proposals for institutional policies designed to reduce bias and improve reproducibility.