Rigor and Reproducibility

There has been a growing awareness in recent years that some of the research literature is not reproducible. It is particularly important in biomedical research that preclinical studies are rigorously designed and reproducible, and the National Institutes of Health (NIH) are therefore placing increasing emphasis on enhancing reproducibility through rigor and transparency in NIH-funded research and research training. Resources for training in rigor and reproducibility are included in this website along with RCR materials.

Summer 2023 Rigor and Reproducibility Seminar

Friday, June 9, 12:00 noon

Practical reproducibility: a few steps that will make your paper better

Anita Bandrowski, PhD

Specialist, Department of Neurosciences, University of California San Diego
Founder and CEO, SciCrunch
Co-Founder and lead, RRID Initiative
Berlin Institute of Health Visiting Professor, funded by Stiftung Charité

Please pre-register for this Zoom seminar at:
https://libcal.uflib.ufl.edu/calendar/HSCLWorkshops/2023-06-09_Anita-Bandrowski-seminar

This seminar series is jointly hosted by the UF Movement Disorders and Neurorestoration Program and the UF Health Science Center Libraries. Hear from leading national and international experts on rigor and reproducibility topics. To register, please use the links in the seminar schedule, after which you will receive information about joining the zoom meeting and participating in Q&A discussions. This program and seminar series is funded by the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS) through T32 NS082128, awarded to PIs Dawn Bowers (College of PHHP) and David E. Vaillancourt (College of HHP).

Recordings for past talks in this series can be found at https://uf-repro.github.io/movementdisorders-seminar/

Resources from UF Libraries

You can find a great list of resources and a calendar of upcoming HSCL workshops at the Research Reproducibility and Open Science library guide.

The Academic Research Consulting & Services (ARCS) group at the UF library, offers free consultation and service about a variety of relevant topics, including AI, data management, bioinformatics, high performance computing, reproducibility, and research integrity.

Rigor & Reproducibility

Scientific rigor is defined by the NIH as the “strict application of the scientific method to ensure unbiased and well-controlled experimental design, methodology, analysis, interpretation and reporting of results.” The application of rigor ensures robust and unbiased experimental design, methodology, analysis, interpretation, and reporting of results. When a result can be reproduced by multiple scientists, it validates the original results and readiness to progress to the next phase of research. This is especially important for clinical trials in humans, which are built on studies that have demonstrated a particular effect or outcome.

NIH Infographics: Enhancing Reproducibility Guidelines; Enhancing Reproducibility in NIH Applications Resource Chart

See the Rigor & Reproducibility resources and Rigor & Reproducibility training web pages for more information. See also the NINDS webpage for “Rigor Champions and Resources“.

NIH requirements for rigor & reproducibility training are detailed in NIH notice NOT-OD-20-033 and NOT-OD-090, and summarized below. A recommended plan for training in rigor & reproducibility is available at the Training Grant Toolkit.

Type of Application	Changes
Institutional Research Training (T) and Institutional Career Development (K)	The Program Plan section of the application will be expected to include a description of how the program and faculty will provide training in rigorous research design and relevant data science and quantitative approaches. There is a new requirement to include a Plan for Instruction in Methods for Enhancing Reproducibility attachment.
Individual Fellowships (F)	In describing their training goals and objectives in the Program Plan attachment, fellowship candidates will be expected to address, as applicable, any new research skills they plan to acquire in the areas of rigorous research design, experimental methods, quantitative approaches, and data analysis and interpretation. In the Research Strategy section of the Program Plan attachment, fellowship candidates will be expected to describe (a) the strengths and weaknesses in the rigor of the prior research that serves as the key support for the proposed project, (b) plans to address any weaknesses in the rigor of the prior research, (c) how the experimental objectives proposed will achieve robust and unbiased results, and (d) how relevant biological variables are factored into research designs and analyses. If applicable, fellowship candidates will be required to include the Authentication of Key Biological and/or Chemical Resources attachment.
Individual Career Development (K)	In describing their career development plans in the Program Plan attachment, candidates for career development awards will be expected to address, as applicable, any new research skills they plan to acquire in the areas of rigorous research design, experimental methods, quantitative approaches, and data analysis and interpretation.