Questionable and Improved Research Practices in Single-Case Experimental Design: Initial Investigation and Findings

Researchers and methodologists in the group comparison tradition have identified questionable research practices that can compromise replicability and validity of conclusions. However, this concept of questionable research practices has not been widely applied to single-case experimental designs (SCED). This paper describes initial steps toward identifying questionable and improved research practices in SCED. Participants were 63 SCED researcher experts with varying backgrounds and expertise. They attended a one-day virtual microconference that included focus groups designed to solicit examples of questionable and improved research practices at different stages of the research process. A qualitative thematic analysis of over 2,000 notes from the participants resulted in 69 specific questionable and improved research practices. We discuss results in relation to the open science movement and quality indicators for SCED studies and explore future directions of research, including investigating whether consensus exists about the identified practices.