Research concepts
Pseudoreplication: Readings Are Not Experiments
Pseudoreplication: Is the analysis counting dependent observations as experiments?
Source editorial review:
Before interpreting the result
Is the analysis counting dependent observations as experiments?
- Identify grouping by donor, animal, culture, plate or preparation.
- Keep the allocation unit when interpreting sample size.
- Review whether the model or data aggregation recognizes that dependence.
Pseudoreplication
Pseudoreplication occurs when dependent observations are treated as experimentally independent. Repeated measurement is not the problem; attributing information the design did not generate is. Identifying the unit receiving the intervention helps distinguish independent comparisons from grouped observations.
A reading case: what to check
Suppose many images are obtained from one culture. They may describe that culture in detail without turning it into many independent preparations. Examine how observations were aggregated or modeled and which unit supports inference. A graph with many points needs this explanation just as much as one with few.
What to preserve in the record
A large table does not guarantee many independent units. If the structure is not preserved, apparent precision can exceed what the design supports.
Questions and answers
Is the analysis counting dependent observations as experiments?
Pseudoreplication occurs when dependent observations are treated as experimentally independent. Repeated measurement is not the problem; attributing information the design did not generate is. Identifying the unit receiving the intervention helps distinguish independent comparisons from grouped observations.
What should the review record preserve?
A large table does not guarantee many independent units. If the structure is not preserved, apparent precision can exceed what the design supports.