Ten simple rules for good research practice: main findings from the Lund Biomedicine ReproducibiliTea Journal Club

In the latest Lund Biomedicine ReproducibiliTea Journal Club, Muhammed Shahbaz, PhD led a discussion based on Simon Schwab's paper "Ten simple rules for good research practice" (1).

Key takeaways on good research practice

Proposed solutions for improving research practices fall into 3 overarching strategies:

1. Improve research planning

   
   

   Follow such steps as specifying a clear research question, registering a study protocol, and justifying the planned sample size.

2. Enhance research execution

Avoid questionable research practices, such as p-hacking, HARKing (hypothesizing after results are known), and selective reporting. Be cautious with interpreting statistical significance and enhance the transparency and replicability of your science.

3. Strengthen research reporting

Report all findings—whether negative or nonsignificant—to combat publication bias, and follow reporting guidelines, such as the CONSORT checklist, to ensure comprehensive and accurate reporting.

Join the Conversation

Our upcoming journal club meetings will continue exploring critical research questions. If you are a researcher, student, or science enthusiast, join us to engage in meaningful dialogue about improving scientific methods and research integrity.

Register your interest to receive updates and sign up for upcoming ReproducibiliTea Journal Club meetings.

References

1. Schwab, Simon et al. “Ten simple rules for good research practice.” PLoS computational biology vol. 18,6 e1010139. 23 Jun. 2022, doi:10.1371/journal.pcbi.1010139

   
   
   
   

Speaker and guest author

Muhammed earned his PhD in Biology from the University of Göttingen in Germany. After a decade in research, Muhammed has recently become a regulatory medical writer at Camurus, a Swedish pharmaceutical and biotechnology company, supporting their clinical development team. He has a passion for advancing drug development and patient safety through effective scientific communication.

Editor

Jane Fisher, PhD, is a co-founder of AdvanSci Research Solutions. She is passionate about practical solutions that enhance human health and improve the quality of biomedical research.