Which of the following modifications to the experimental design will best help reduce the standard errors of the means?

Furthermore, ATCC offers online cell line authentication training in partnership with Global Biological Standards Institute, NIH (R25GM116155-03), and Susan G. Komen (SPP160007), which focuses on the best practices for receiving, managing, authenticating, culturing, and preserving cell cultures. To further support cell authentication and reproducibility in the life sciences, ATCC also provides STR profiling and mycoplasma detection testing as services to researchers.

National Institutes of Health (NIH) - Rigor and Reproducibility

To help improve rigor, reproducibility, and transparency in scientific research, the NIH issued a notice in 2015 that informed scientists of revised grant application instructions that focused on improving experimental design, authenticating biological and chemical resources, analyzing and interpreting results, and accurately reporting research findings. These efforts have led to the adoption of similar guidelines by journals across numerous scientific disciplines and has resulted in cell line authentication becoming a prerequisite for publication.

Science Exchange & the Center for Open Science - The Reproducibility Project: Cancer Biology

This initiative was designed to provide evidence of reproducibility in cancer research and to identify possible factors that may affect reproducibility. Here, selected results from high-profile articles are independently replicated by unbiased third parties to evaluate if data could be consistently reproduced. For each evaluated study, a registered report delineating the experimental workflow is reviewed and published before experimentation is initiated; after data collection and analysis, the results are published as a replication study.

Author Policies for Publication

Many peer-reviewed journals have updated their reporting requirements to help improve the reproducibility of published results. The Nature Research journals, for example, have implemented new editorial policies that help ensure the availability of data, key research materials, computer codes and algorithms, and experimental protocols to other scientists. Researchers must now complete an editorial policy checklist to ensure compliance with these policies before their manuscript can be considered for review and publication.

Most people familiar with the issue of reproducibility agree that these efforts are gaining traction. However, progress will require sustained attention on the issue, as well as cooperation and involvement from stakeholders across various fields.

The academic research system encourages the rapid publication of novel results.

Moving forward

Accuracy and reproducibility are essential for fostering robust and credible research and for promoting scientific advancement. There are predominant factors that have contributed to the lack of reproducibility in life science research. This issue has come to light in recent years and a number of guidelines and recommendations on achieving reproducibility in the life sciences have emerged, but the practical implementation of these practices may be challenging. It is essential that the scientific community are objective when designing experiments, take responsibility for depicting their results accurately, and thoroughly and precisely describe all methodologies used. Further, funders, publishers, and policy-makers should continue to raise awareness about the lack of reproducibility and use their position to promote better research practices throughout the life sciences. By taking action and seeking opportunities for improvement, researchers and key stakeholders can help improve research practices and the credibility of scientific data.