Kenneth ChengMathematical modeling

Editorial project overview

Publish-or-Perish and Method Selection

When laboratories inherit successful practices, which institutional rewards select for reliable methods?

Reproducible studyUpdated 30 Jul 2026
Technical figure from Publish-or-Perish and Method Selection
A reviewed research figure synchronized from the private technical workspace. The original aspect ratio and labels are preserved.

Editorial overview

Read When Publication Count Selects the Method for a full account of the agent rules, policy grid, reliability-throughput trade-off, publication-bias sweep, and five approved figures.

This is not a duplicate of the earlier field-reliability model. That study varies novelty, rigour, and replication incentives; this one isolates cultural selection on methodological effort under biased publication and consequential audits. All executable materials remain private.

Key findings

  • Mean final effort was 0.049 under publication-count selection and 0.858 under the configured strong replication policy.
  • The corresponding false-discovery fractions were 0.930 and 0.419; these are model outcomes, not empirical estimates.

Limitations

  • A scalar effort trait compresses heterogeneous practices, resources, career stages, and strategic behaviour.
  • Results depend on the declared truth base rate, publication rule, cultural selection, and audit mechanism.

Technical record

Detailed source, calculations, generated figures, and reproduction instructions are maintained in a private technical workspace. Public articles contain only manually reviewed interpretation and approved figures.

Version history

2026-07-30 — Curated overview reviewed against repository evidence.