Comment on:

The following comment refers to this/these guideline(s)

Guideline 12

Documentation

Researchers document all information relevant to the production of a research result as clearly as is required by and is appropriate for the relevant subject area to allow the result to be reviewed and assessed. In general, this also includes documenting individual results that do not support the research hypothesis. The selection of results must be avoided. Where subject-specific recommendations exist for review and assessment, researchers create documentation in accordance with these guidelines. If the documentation does not satisfy these requirements, the constraints and the reasons for them are clearly explained. Documentation and research results must not be manipulated; they are protected as effectively as possible against manipulation.

Explanations:

An important basis for enabling replication is to make available the information necessary to understand the research (including the research data used or generated, the methodological, evaluation and analytical steps taken, and, if relevant, the development of the hypothesis), to ensure that citations are clear, and, as far as possible, to enable third parties to access this information. Where research software is being developed, the source code is documented.

Research software documentation

Reproducibility is another important issue in connection with research software. In addition to the source code as mentioned in the explanations (Level 2), it is also important to document and archive the design of the software, and where applicable the compiler, the operating system and information on its use, as well as the applicable data, rights systems, governance structures and entire virtual machines.

The comment belongs to the following categories:

GL12 (General)

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