GITNUXREPORT 2025

Replication Statistics

Reproducibility crisis hampers science; open data and preregistration improve success.

Jannik Linder

Co-Founder of Gitnux, specialized in content and tech since 2016.

First published: April 29, 2025

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Statistic 1

The average cost to replicate a study in social sciences is approximately $30,000

Statistic 2

45% of researchers report difficulty in replicating published results due to lack of access to data

Statistic 3

The cost of conducting a replication study in psychology has increased by 50% over the past decade

Statistic 4

64% of biomedical researchers report that poor reproducibility leads to wasted resources

Statistic 5

The European Food Safety Authority reports that reproducibility issues delay food safety assessments by an average of 6 months

Statistic 6

Approximately 65% of research papers are retracted or corrected due to irreproducibility issues

Statistic 7

Funding for replication studies in the US increased by 25% between 2018 and 2022

Statistic 8

The average cost to reproduce a biomedical research study is approximately $250,000

Statistic 9

In behavioral economics, only about 30% of published findings have been successfully reproduced independently

Statistic 10

The majority of failed replications are attributed to small sample sizes, with 65% citing this reason

Statistic 11

The replication crisis has led to the development of registered reports, which have increased by 20% over the past five years

Statistic 12

The reproducibility crisis prompted many journals to adopt open data policies, increasing data sharing by 30%

Statistic 13

Reproducibility issues have led to a 15% decrease in publication citations for studies flagged for irreproducibility

Statistic 14

55% of psychology journals now require data sharing upon publication

Statistic 15

Reproducibility concerns have prompted new journal policies, with 45% now requiring rigorous methodological data for publication

Statistic 16

Over 70% of scientific papers are not reproducible due to poor documentation of experimental procedures

Statistic 17

In psychology, the reproducibility crisis has led to the creation of over 200 registered reports in less than five years

Statistic 18

The Open Science Collaboration conducted a large-scale replication project which found that 36% of studies could be replicated

Statistic 19

Reproducibility rates in biomedical research are estimated to be around 11%

Statistic 20

The replication rate in cancer biology research has been estimated at 10-20%

Statistic 21

Only 14% of replication studies in psychology have successfully reproduced original findings

Statistic 22

The rate of successful replication in economics studies is estimated at around 25%

Statistic 23

Only about 24% of replication attempts in ecological studies are successful

Statistic 24

Approximately 42% of psychology studies fail to replicate when attempted independently

Statistic 25

The rate of failed replications in pharmacology research is estimated to be over 80%

Statistic 26

Only 18% of clinical trial results are fully reproducible, according to some meta-analyses

Statistic 27

In sociology, the reproducibility rate is estimated at approximately 30%

Statistic 28

The adoption of transparent reporting practices correlates with higher replication success, with an odds ratio of 2.1

Statistic 29

A meta-analysis indicates that replication success is higher in experimental than observational studies, with odds ratio of 1.8

Statistic 30

The success rate of replication efforts varies significantly across disciplines, with medicine at approximately 20% and physics over 60%

Statistic 31

43% of replication attempts in clinical psychology are unsuccessful, indicating variability across fields

Statistic 32

Increasing transparency and preregistration in research is associated with a 15% increase in replication success

Statistic 33

78% of researchers have attempted to replicate another researcher’s study

Statistic 34

Only 39% of psychological studies replicate successfully

Statistic 35

89% of scientists agree that irreproducibility is a critical problem in science

Statistic 36

According to a survey, 70% of scientists believe that the reproducibility crisis is hindering progress

Statistic 37

In some fields, as many as 60% of researchers have failed to reproduce a key experiment

Statistic 38

60% of medical research studies are difficult or impossible to reproduce

Statistic 39

A survey found that 60% of scientists feel the pressure to prioritize novel results over replication efforts

Statistic 40

In neuroscience, less than 20% of published findings are replicable according to some meta-analyses

Statistic 41

Only 12% of researchers in biology publish full datasets openly, hindering replication

Statistic 42

Studies indicate that publications with open data are 2.5 times more likely to be replicated successfully

Statistic 43

In environmental science, around 50% of findings cannot be replicated by independent researchers

Statistic 44

The use of pre-registration in studies has increased by 40% in psychology and neuroscience, promoting reproducibility

Statistic 45

Less than 10% of papers in certain fields routinely undergo replication studies, hindering validation efforts

Statistic 46

Funding agencies are increasingly prioritizing replication studies, with 35% now including replication as a key criterion

Statistic 47

The number of registered replication projects in psychology has grown by over 150% in the past five years

Statistic 48

Only 45% of studies in economics that have attempted replication have been successfully reproduced

Statistic 49

The average time for replication studies in social sciences is approximately 18 months

Statistic 50

80% of early-career researchers see replication as essential for scientific progress

Statistic 51

Only 20% of published social science studies include preregistration plans, promoting transparency

Statistic 52

The number of articles explicitly aiming to replicate previous research has increased by 60% in recent years

Statistic 53

According to meta-analyses, studies with higher transparency tend to have a 30% higher replication success rate

Statistic 54

The use of statistical power analysis is linked to a 25% increase in successful replications

Statistic 55

Approximately 50% of datasets used in published studies are not available at the time of replication, hindering validation

Statistic 56

The time to complete replication studies has decreased by 20% over the last decade due to better methodologies

Statistic 57

The number of open data repositories dedicated to supporting reproducibility has increased by 40% in the past three years

Statistic 58

Less than 5% of social science papers include full data and code necessary for replication

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Key Highlights

78% of researchers have attempted to replicate another researcher’s study
Only 39% of psychological studies replicate successfully
The Open Science Collaboration conducted a large-scale replication project which found that 36% of studies could be replicated
Reproducibility rates in biomedical research are estimated to be around 11%
89% of scientists agree that irreproducibility is a critical problem in science
The replication rate in cancer biology research has been estimated at 10-20%
According to a survey, 70% of scientists believe that the reproducibility crisis is hindering progress
Only 14% of replication studies in psychology have successfully reproduced original findings
The average cost to replicate a study in social sciences is approximately $30,000
45% of researchers report difficulty in replicating published results due to lack of access to data
In some fields, as many as 60% of researchers have failed to reproduce a key experiment
The rate of successful replication in economics studies is estimated at around 25%
60% of medical research studies are difficult or impossible to reproduce

Did you know that despite 78% of researchers attempting to replicate studies, success rates hover around a dismal 10-39% across fields, exposing a profound reproducibility crisis threatening the very foundation of scientific progress?

Cost

The average cost to replicate a study in social sciences is approximately $30,000

Cost Interpretation

With an average price tag of $30,000 per replication, social scientists are essentially paying a hefty fee to double-check their homework—casting doubt on the affordability of rigorous verification in the field.

Cost, Resources, and Challenges of Conducting Replication Studies

45% of researchers report difficulty in replicating published results due to lack of access to data
The cost of conducting a replication study in psychology has increased by 50% over the past decade
64% of biomedical researchers report that poor reproducibility leads to wasted resources
The European Food Safety Authority reports that reproducibility issues delay food safety assessments by an average of 6 months
Approximately 65% of research papers are retracted or corrected due to irreproducibility issues
Funding for replication studies in the US increased by 25% between 2018 and 2022
The average cost to reproduce a biomedical research study is approximately $250,000
In behavioral economics, only about 30% of published findings have been successfully reproduced independently
The majority of failed replications are attributed to small sample sizes, with 65% citing this reason

Cost, Resources, and Challenges of Conducting Replication Studies Interpretation

Despite a modest funding bump and rising replication costs, the sobering reality remains that over half of scientific findings—hampered by limited access, small samples, and questionable reproducibility—are retracted or delayed, underscoring that in research, unlocking truth often costs more than the initial discovery.

Impact of Reproducibility Crisis on Scientific Publishing and Policy

The replication crisis has led to the development of registered reports, which have increased by 20% over the past five years
The reproducibility crisis prompted many journals to adopt open data policies, increasing data sharing by 30%
Reproducibility issues have led to a 15% decrease in publication citations for studies flagged for irreproducibility
55% of psychology journals now require data sharing upon publication
Reproducibility concerns have prompted new journal policies, with 45% now requiring rigorous methodological data for publication
Over 70% of scientific papers are not reproducible due to poor documentation of experimental procedures
In psychology, the reproducibility crisis has led to the creation of over 200 registered reports in less than five years

Impact of Reproducibility Crisis on Scientific Publishing and Policy Interpretation

Amidst the reproducibility crisis, a 20% surge in registered reports and a 30% rise in open data policies highlight a scientific community striving for transparency, yet with over 70% of papers still lack proper documentation, pointing to an urgent need for reforms to truly uphold reproducibility standards.

Replication Rates and Success Metrics Across Disciplines

The Open Science Collaboration conducted a large-scale replication project which found that 36% of studies could be replicated
Reproducibility rates in biomedical research are estimated to be around 11%
The replication rate in cancer biology research has been estimated at 10-20%
Only 14% of replication studies in psychology have successfully reproduced original findings
The rate of successful replication in economics studies is estimated at around 25%
Only about 24% of replication attempts in ecological studies are successful
Approximately 42% of psychology studies fail to replicate when attempted independently
The rate of failed replications in pharmacology research is estimated to be over 80%
Only 18% of clinical trial results are fully reproducible, according to some meta-analyses
In sociology, the reproducibility rate is estimated at approximately 30%
The adoption of transparent reporting practices correlates with higher replication success, with an odds ratio of 2.1
A meta-analysis indicates that replication success is higher in experimental than observational studies, with odds ratio of 1.8
The success rate of replication efforts varies significantly across disciplines, with medicine at approximately 20% and physics over 60%
43% of replication attempts in clinical psychology are unsuccessful, indicating variability across fields
Increasing transparency and preregistration in research is associated with a 15% increase in replication success

Replication Rates and Success Metrics Across Disciplines Interpretation

Despite the scientific community's noble pursuit of truth, the sobering replication statistics reveal that a significant proportion of studies—ranging from 10% in cancer biology to over 80% in pharmacology—struggle to stand the test of independent verification, underscoring an urgent need for transparent reporting and rigorous reproducibility efforts across disciplines.

Researcher Attitudes and Perceptions Regarding Reproducibility

78% of researchers have attempted to replicate another researcher’s study
Only 39% of psychological studies replicate successfully
89% of scientists agree that irreproducibility is a critical problem in science
According to a survey, 70% of scientists believe that the reproducibility crisis is hindering progress
In some fields, as many as 60% of researchers have failed to reproduce a key experiment
60% of medical research studies are difficult or impossible to reproduce
A survey found that 60% of scientists feel the pressure to prioritize novel results over replication efforts
In neuroscience, less than 20% of published findings are replicable according to some meta-analyses
Only 12% of researchers in biology publish full datasets openly, hindering replication
Studies indicate that publications with open data are 2.5 times more likely to be replicated successfully
In environmental science, around 50% of findings cannot be replicated by independent researchers
The use of pre-registration in studies has increased by 40% in psychology and neuroscience, promoting reproducibility
Less than 10% of papers in certain fields routinely undergo replication studies, hindering validation efforts
Funding agencies are increasingly prioritizing replication studies, with 35% now including replication as a key criterion
The number of registered replication projects in psychology has grown by over 150% in the past five years
Only 45% of studies in economics that have attempted replication have been successfully reproduced
The average time for replication studies in social sciences is approximately 18 months
80% of early-career researchers see replication as essential for scientific progress
Only 20% of published social science studies include preregistration plans, promoting transparency
The number of articles explicitly aiming to replicate previous research has increased by 60% in recent years
According to meta-analyses, studies with higher transparency tend to have a 30% higher replication success rate
The use of statistical power analysis is linked to a 25% increase in successful replications
Approximately 50% of datasets used in published studies are not available at the time of replication, hindering validation

Researcher Attitudes and Perceptions Regarding Reproducibility Interpretation

Despite a consensus that irreproducibility hampers scientific progress, the persistence of low replication success, limited data transparency, and inadequate validation efforts reveal that much of science is still chasing its own ghost rather than its findings—highlighting an urgent need for a cultural shift toward openness, rigor, and perhaps a bit more humility in our quest for knowledge.

Technological, Methodological, and Systemic Approaches to Improving Reproducibility

The time to complete replication studies has decreased by 20% over the last decade due to better methodologies
The number of open data repositories dedicated to supporting reproducibility has increased by 40% in the past three years

Technological, Methodological, and Systemic Approaches to Improving Reproducibility Interpretation

With replication studies closing their gap by 20% faster thanks to improved methods and a 40% surge in open repositories fueling transparency, the scientific community is clearly speeding up its race toward more reliable knowledge.

Technological, Methodological,, and Systemic Approaches to Improving Reproducibility

Less than 5% of social science papers include full data and code necessary for replication

Technological, Methodological,, and Systemic Approaches to Improving Reproducibility Interpretation

With less than 5% of social science papers providing full data and code, the field's commitment to transparency resembles a secret society—exclusive, elusive, and in desperate need of an open-door policy.