PCI Webinar Series - Richard McElreath - A Guerrilla Approach to Scientific Workflow

Taking inspiration from guerrilla warfare, Richard McElreath introduces a framework for managing scientific research that addresses the complexity of research while advancing goals of transparency and reliability. Real science is complex, and there is no single scientific method. It is a chaotic network of theories, data, models, graphs, comparisons, summaries, and narratives. A flaw in any part can ruin everything. How can small teams of researchers challenge this complexity and emerge victorious? More statistical training is not enough. More resources is not enough. Lawrence of Arabia once said, "Guerrilla warfare is more intellectual than a bayonet charge." And this is how we too will proceed. Instead of confronting the complexity directly, with more money and more people and more data and more meta-analyses, we must develop a SCIENTIFIC WORKFLOW that subdivides, analyzes, and transparently justifies our individual research projects. The tools to do this already exist, and individual researchers can become scientific guerillas today to improve their chances of victory.