Category: Livingroom of Science (project)

Improving Transparency and Replication in Bayesian Statistics: The WAMBS-Checklist

Bayesian statistical methods are slowly creeping into all fields of science and are becoming ever more popular in applied research. Although it is very attractive to use Bayesian statistics, our personal experience has led us to believe that naively applying Bayesian methods can be dangerous for at least 3 main reasons:

Kick-off for the project “The myth of null-hypothesis significance testing”

Today we have our first consortium meeting for the project “The myth of null-hypothesis significance testing in scientific research”, subsidized by ZonMW within the call about promoting responsible research practices (see below for more information about the project). The project group consists of Michiel de…

A Bildung-psychological investigation into student motives: McKinsey- or von Humboldt-oriented?

This study examined differential student motives among students from a social sciences bachelor’s degree, and whether this difference related to participating in educational programmes for broader intellectual formation (Bildung). Survey research was conducted among 432 Dutch students (79.5% female), ranging in age from 17 to 32 years (Mage = 21.12, SD = 2.08).

Possible Solution to Publication Bias Through Bayesian Statistics

The present paper argues that an important cause of publication bias resides in traditional frequentist statistics forcing binary decisions. An alternative approach through Bayesian statistics provides various degrees of support for any hypothesis allowing balanced decisions and proper null hypothesis testing, which may prevent publication bias.

From a PhD to What? The Importance of the education-employment transition: Lessons from the Netherlands

The number of PhD graduates is on the rise. With the exception of Poland, all of the OECD countries experienced an increase in PhD graduates in the past decade (OECD, 2013). The increase in PhD graduates attests to a growth in knowledge and innovation, a growth that can be advantageous for academia, government and industry alike.

What Took Them So Long? Explaining PhD Delays among Doctoral Candidates

A delay in PhD completion, while likely undesirable for PhD candidates, can also be detrimental to universities if and when PhD delay leads to attrition/termination. Termination of the PhD trajectory can lead to individual stress, a loss of valuable time and resources invested in the candidate and can also mean a loss of competitive advantage.