Replicability again, ToK Essay 1 May 23

ToK Essay 1 May 23 (Is replicability necessary in the PofK ?) is, in my opinion one of the more straightforward essays in the May 23 session (the other straightforward one being Essay 6). My first thoughts, & video, on this essay can be found at this link.

In this blog I go into more detail on some of the types of replicability that you may wish to consider, which will allow you to give more specific detail, and gain a higher score on this essay.

General musings on 'Replicability'.

In general, replicability is an important aspect of the scientific method and can help improve the production of knowledge. When a study or experiment is replicable, it means that other researchers can obtain the same results by following the same procedures. This increases confidence in the validity of the findings and allows the results to be more easily integrated into existing knowledge.

Let’s look at 4 types of replicability:

1. Conceptual replicability

This refers to the ability to reproduce the concepts or theories that are used in a study.

This is the ability to replicate the underlying conceptual framework or theoretical basis of a study, rather than just the empirical methods. Conceptual replicability is important as it allows researchers to 'test' the validity, and reliability, of particular concepts in various different contexts. For example if Managerial scientists have identified the concept of consumer confidence they could test it on different sets of consumers, different categories of retail environment etc.

Conceptual Replicability is also important for improving the production of knowledge as it allows for the development and refinement of theories and conceptual frameworks

2. Methodological replicability.

This refers to the ability to reproduce the methods or procedures used in a study.

When a study is methodologically replicable, it means that other researchers can obtain the same results by following the same procedures. This increases the reliability of the research results. It will then increase the confidence in the validity of the findings and allows the results to be more easily integrated into existing knowledge. In this way, methodological replicability can help to improve the production of knowledge by ensuring that the results of a study are robust and can be reliably reproduced. Such reliability and validity is of particular importance where health, safety or human rights are concerned, as such methodological replicability is core to the methods of knowledge production in the Human and Natural Sciences.

Methodological replicability also allows other researchers to build upon the findings of a study, which can facilitate the development of further research, new theories and insights. Much scientific knowledge is produced by networked teams of researchers working in different locations, methodological replicability enables them to build upon each others findings, thus increasing the speed and effectiveness of knowledge development.

3. Statistical replicability.

This refers to the ability to reproduce the statistical analyses and results of a study.

Statistical transparency in the results of the research allows peer reviewers to check the statistical calculations made. They can look at the variations in the results arising from various trials to analyse whether any variations are naturally occuring, caused by extraneous variables, or caused by undetected elements of the independent variable.

The degree to which statistical replicability is necessary, or even possible, will very much depend upon the Area of Knowledge under consideration, the purposes of the knowledge production, and the context within which the knowledge production occurs.

4. Practical replicability

This refers to the ability to apply the findings of a study in real-world settings.

The ability to replicate methods and findings in laboratories, or other controlled settings, may help us to isolate and identify cause and effect relationships. In doing so we are increasing the reliability of the knowledge produced. However, to increase the validity of the knowledge we need to be able to show that it has real world viability (what psychologists term "ecological validity"). As such the research will be replicated in a real world setting, subjecting it to many of the uncontrolled for extraneous variables which can, potentially, effect the research results and findings. However, by putting the research into a real world setting researchers are able to refine both the processes and the outcomes for more practical application in the future.

Exactly how practical replicability would be carried out very much depends upon the area of knowledge under consideration, the purpose and the focus of the research.

Counterclaims for the above types of Replicability can be developed by looking at Dr Ulrick Schimmack's excellent blog The Replication Index. Without going into detail on each of the counterclaim concerns raised by Dr Schimmack these include unconscious bias, implicit bias, latent variables, confirmation bias, selection bias, outlier bias, Ad Hominem Fallacy, Straw Man Fallacy, Correlation-Causation Fallacy - I could go on.

The key task in Essay #1 is to tackle the idea of necessity in the production of knowledge. I spend some time doing this in the previous blog post on this essay, and in a lot of detail in the essay notes on this question which can be obtained from the link in the video description

If you have questions, or would like more details on this essay, please add in the comments below, or feel free to email me at Daniel@toktoday.com.

Enjoy your ToKWriting,
Daniel,
Lisbon, Dec 2022