Transparency and Replication in Cross-national Survey Research: Identification of Problems and Possible Solutions

In this article, we examine whether cross-national studies disclose enough information for independent researchers to evaluate the validity and reliability of the findings (evaluation transparency) or to perform a direct replication (replicability transparency). The first contribution is theoretical. We develop a heuristic theoretical model including the actors, factors, and processes that influence the transparency of cross-national studies and provide an overview of the measures currently taken to improve research transparency. The second contribution is empirical, in which we analyze the level of transparency in published cross-national studies. Specifically, using a random sample of 305 comparative studies published in one of 29 peer-reviewed social sciences journals (from 1986 to 2016), we show that, even though all the articles include some methodological information, the great majority lack sufficient information for evaluation and replication. Lastly, we develop and propose a set of transparency guidelines tailored for reporting cross-national survey research.