Conducting Replication Studies With Confidence

Although essential to the development of a robust evidence base for nurse educators, the concepts of replication and reproducibility have received little attention in the nursing education literature. In this Methodology Corner installment, the concepts of study replication and reproducibility are explored in depth. In designing, conducting, and documenting the findings of studies in nursing education, researchers are encouraged to make design choices that improve study replicability and reproducibility of study findings. [J Nurs Educ. 2018;57(11):638–640.] There has been considerable discussion in the professional literature about questionable research practices that raise doubt about the credibility of research findings (Shrout & Rodgers, 2018) and that limit reproducibility of research findings (Shepherd, Peratikos, Rebeiro, Duda, & McCowan, 2017). This discussion has led to what scientists term as a replication crisis (Goodman, Fanelli, & Ioannidis, 2016). Although investigators in various disciplines have provided suggestions to address this crisis (Alvarez, Key, & Núñez, 2018; Goodman et al., 2016; Shrout & Rodgers, 2018), similar discussions or reports of replication within nursing education literature are limited, despite a call for replication studies (Morin, 2016). Consequently, the focus of this article is on replication and reproducibility. The topic is important, given that the hallmark of good science is being able to replicate or reproduce findings (Morin, 2016). Replication serves to provide “stability in our knowledge of nature” (Schmidt, 2009, p. 92).