How do replications affect the citation rate of existing literature?
30 September, 2021
Replication of existing research is considered an essential practice of the scientific process as – ideally – it promotes robust results and gradually disposes of those that fail to hold up to further scrutiny. However, in his newly published paper, SSE PhD student Felix Schafmeister finds that replication failure and success do not affect citation dynamics.
Felix Schafmeister’s research investigates if the publication of independent replications has an effect on future citation rates. Contrary to what is commonly believed, he finds little supporting evidence to this hypothesis, stressing the need for more and better-communicated replication results.
The replication projects published thus far have undoubtedly succeeded in raising awareness of methodological shortcomings […]. However, little is known about how these replication attempts have shaped the way specific findings are perceived in the literature.
Felix Schafmeister
PhD Student, Department of Economics
