| name | reproduce-a-research-result |
| category | school |
| description | Reproduce a research result by reconstructing its data, code, environment, decisions, and reported outputs with a transparent discrepancy record. Use when checking computational or analytical reproducibility. |
reproduce-a-research-result
Preserve the original package and distinguish exact, analytic, and conceptual reproduction.
When to use
- Use for published papers, internal studies, coursework, audits, or inherited analyses.
- Do not expose restricted data, credentials, participant identities, or licensed materials while sharing reproduction evidence.
Procedure
- Define which claim, table, figure, coefficient, or dataset must reproduce and the acceptable tolerance.
- Inventory paper version, corrections, data, code, dependencies, operating environment, seeds, external services, and access limits.
- Preserve the received package with hashes and run instructions before modifying it.
- Attempt the documented workflow in an isolated environment and capture the complete transcript.
- Reconcile raw and analytic record counts, exclusions, variable construction, and intermediate files.
- Compare outputs numerically and visually using prespecified tolerances.
- Localize discrepancies across data version, environment, nondeterminism, hidden step, code defect, or reporting transcription.
- Test one hypothesis at a time and keep every deviation from the original explicit.
- Contact authors or owners with a focused evidence package when needed.
- Report exact matches, bounded differences, unresolved blockers, and whether the substantive conclusion changes.
Worked example
A figure does not reproduce because a dependency changed its default missing-value handling. Pinning the documented-era version restores the reported values. The report records both runs, the dependency difference, and a container that recreates the verified result.
Done
- A reproduction report records scope, custody, environment, commands, data lineage, output comparisons, discrepancies, and conclusion impact
- A clean rerun verifies the reproduction package or documents the exact external, permission, or evidence blocker
