Promoting reproducibility with open code
Detailed subject area in the Open Economics Guide of the ZBW
Open code makes source code written for scientific research such as data analyses, statistical models and simulations accessible to others. If it is provided with a corresponding open source licence, it can be reused and allows third parties to access, view, use, modify and redistribute it for various purposes without restrictions.
Through its accessibility, open code promotes transparency and the exchange of knowledge in science. It recognises the achievements of researchers and enables in-depth understanding and critical review of methods and results. This openness strengthens the reproducibility of scientific work by facilitating the verification and further development of existing findings. For this reason, the accessibility of code is also increasingly being demanded by journals. In addition, open code promotes collaborative research and minimises redundant efforts in the scientific community.
Open code is particularly important in economic research, where many models and analyses are based on complex mathematical and statistical calculations. Economic forecasts and recommendations influence political decisions and often have a direct impact on society and markets. If the code used is not disclosed, it is difficult to understand or comprehend the underlying assumptions and calculations, which weakens trust in the research results.
By disclosing the code, other researchers and institutions can understand, validate or improve the models and simulations. This not only increases transparency, but also the credibility of economic research. It also helps to identify and correct methodological errors, which is crucial in economic research, which is often based on empirical data and predictions. Open code also enables the models developed to be used more widely, as third parties can adapt them for similar questions or further research.
The contents:
The Open Economics Guide provides students and researchers in economics with information on researching, creating and publishing open code. The “Open Code” section allows in-depth questions on these areas, among others:
- How to recognise open code
- What the first steps with open code can look like
- What a search strategy for open code can look like
- How to reuse open code
- How to cite open code
- How to create open code yourself
- How to publish open code under a suitable licence
About the Open Economics Guide:
With the Open Economics Guide, the ZBW – Leibniz Information Centre for Economics offers a comprehensive platform that supports economic researchers in applying open science practices in their work. The guide not only provides information on the general application potential of open science practices, but the Open Economics Guide also offers valuable support by presenting specific digital tools that researchers can use to implement open access, open data, open code and open educational resources in their work. In addition to a continuously updated list of currently over 130 open science tools, the platform also offers a calendar of events, a blog and a regular newsletter.
*The text was written on 22 October 2024.
This text was translated on 20 January 2025 using DeeplPro.