Cybercrimeology

The Open Science Revolution: Building Trust with Transparency

Episode Summary

In this episode, Asier Moneva, a cybercrime researcher at the Netherlands Institute for the Study of Crime and Law Enforcement (NSCR) and the Center of Expertise Cyber Security at The Hague University of Applied Sciences, discusses the transformative principles of open science. Asier explores how transparency and replicability can shape a more credible and collaborative research environment, sharing his experience with open science practices such as preregistration, registered reports, and open-access data. We discuss the challenges in open science such as those posed by academic pressures, like the 'publish or perish' culture, and highlight how open science practices benefit both researchers and the public.

Episode Notes

Episode Notes

Episode Summary

• Introduction to Open Science – Asier Moneva introduces open science, emphasizing transparency and replicability as essential to modern research.
• Importance of Transparency – He explains how transparency builds trust, enabling other researchers to assess rigor and replicate findings accurately.
• Preregistration and Registered Reports – Asier discusses these practices, which require researchers to specify methodologies and hypotheses before data collection to reduce bias.
• Challenges in Adoption – He notes that implementing open science practices can be challenging due to academic pressures and resource limitations.
• The “Publish or Perish” Culture – We highlight how the pressure to publish quickly can conflict with the time-intensive requirements of open science.
• Academic Incentives and Misaligned Goals – We critique the academic reward system that often favors quantity over quality, which can detract from scientific rigor.
• Advantages for Public Accessibility – Open science also enhances public accessibility, making research available beyond academia and helping inform public policy.
• Ethical Considerations in Research – Asier emphasizes that open science fosters ethical research practices by reducing questionable practices like p-hacking and selective reporting.
• Benefits of Open Science for Collaboration – The approach encourages collaboration across disciplines and institutions, providing a more comprehensive understanding of complex issues.
• Real-World Example of Retraction – He mentions a case where a research paper was retracted due to lack of transparency, illustrating the importance of open science practices.
• Role of Preprints in Open Science – Asier advocates for preprints as a way to share research and receive feedback before formal publication.
• Challenges with Platform Fragmentation – He observes that the proliferation of research-sharing platforms can hinder accessibility if findings are scattered across multiple sources.
• Future of Registered Reports – Asier sees registered reports as a future standard, as they align research design with ethical and rigorous science.
• Open Science as a Solution to Publication Bias – Open science practices help address publication bias by promoting the dissemination of all research findings, regardless of outcomes.
• Closing Thoughts on Transparency – Open science is about ensuring reproducibility and holding science accountable, aiming to make research as transparent and accessible as possible.

About Our Guest:

Asier Moneva

https://asiermoneva.com

https://nscr.nl/en/medewerker/asier-moneva/

https://www.thuas.com/research/research-groups/team-cybercrime-cybersecurity

https://github.com/amoneva

https://osf.io/7ce24/

Resources and References Mentioned in This Episode:

The Open Science Framework (OSF)

The OSF is an open-source platform supporting transparent and reproducible research across disciplines.

The Open Science Framework:

https://osf.io/

Paper Introducing Registered Reports

This foundational paper outlines the concept of registered reports, a publishing model aimed at reducing bias and enhancing research rigor.

Paper introducing "registered reports":

https://psycnet.apa.org/fulltext/2014-20922-001.html

Retraction Case Study

A recent retraction of a notable article on the replicability of social-behavioral research findings offers insights into challenges within open science practices.

RETRACTED ARTICLE: High replicability of newly discovered social-behavioural findings is achievable:

https://www.nature.com/articles/s41562-023-01749-9

Retraction Note: High replicability of newly discovered social-behavioural findings is achievable:

https://www.nature.com/articles/s41562-024-01997-3

Podcast episode discussing the retraction in depth:

https://open.spotify.com/episode/3rygrbUNocfCEEGd1Byn0V?si=vJDuzQT3S7yJqDEUMycF1w&t=178

Other:

This episode was recorded in a hotel lobby corner with music playing in the background. If the audio sounds a little unusual at times it is because of the noise removal being used to remove that noise being combined with other ‘sound enhancement’ features. I had to go back in and play around with the audio directly before I was even a little happy.  The tools work well but they are a little unpredictable.  I am increasingly wary of ‘it just works’ audio editing tools. I would have left it in, but the bots chasing copyright infringement are ravenous and indiscriminate.