reproducible research in the neurosciences

[Richard Vickery]

   laubach at biogfx.neuro.wfu.edu (Mark Laubach) wrote:
>        I am very much interested in the idea of electronic
>publishing, not only of papers but also of the data sets upon which
>the papers are based and of the code for the analysis of the data.

Although this is a good idea in principle, I think that in practice it will be 
very difficult.  Reanalyzing another person's experiment is (in my experience) 
a nightmare.  Reanalyzing without access to log books and other 'background' 
info would be virtually impossible.  

I think it would be possible to make semi-analyzed data sets available for 
neural modellers who want real data to crunch.  New analysis techniques and 
programs, if adequately documented, could also be useful.  However, I don't 
think we'll ever be able to just go and check through another person's data - 
the large amount of effort required at both ends would mean that this would 
almost never be done routinely.



Richard Vickery                \ /     Our quest is for Meaning,
Physiology & Pharmacology     (oVo)    but the meaning is The Quest.
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