Universität zu Köln

Nicenboim, Bruno ORCID: 0000-0002-5176-3943, Roettger, Timo B. and Vasishth, Shravan (2018). Using meta-analysis for evidence synthesis: The case of incomplete neutralization in German. J. Phon., 70. S. 39 - 56. LONDON: ACADEMIC PRESS LTD- ELSEVIER SCIENCE LTD. ISSN 0095-4470

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Abstract

Within quantitative phonetics, it is common practice to draw conclusions based on statistical significance alone Using incomplete neutralization of final devoicing in German as a case study, we illustrate the problems with this approach. If researchers find a significant acoustic difference between voiceless and devoiced obstruents, they conclude that neutralization is incomplete, and if they find no significant difference, they conclude that neutralization is complete. However, such strong claims regarding the existence or absence of an effect based on significant results alone can be misleading. Instead, the totality of available evidence should be brought to bear on the question. Towards this end, we synthesize the evidence from 14 studies on incomplete neutralization in German using a Bayesian random-effects meta-analysis. Our meta-analysis provides evidence in favor of incomplete neutralization. We conclude with some suggestions for improving the quality of future research on phonetic phenomena: ensure that sample sizes allow for high-precision estimates of the effect; avoid the temptation to deploy researcher degrees of freedom when analyzing data; focus on estimates of the parameter of interest and the uncertainty about that parameter; attempt to replicate effects found; and, whenever possible, make both the data and analysis available publicly. (c) 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Item Type:	Journal Article
Creators:	Creators Email ORCID ORCID Put Code Nicenboim, Bruno UNSPECIFIED orcid.org/0000-0002-5176-3943 UNSPECIFIED Roettger, Timo B. UNSPECIFIED UNSPECIFIED UNSPECIFIED Vasishth, Shravan UNSPECIFIED UNSPECIFIED UNSPECIFIED
URN:	urn:nbn:de:hbz:38-173733
DOI:	10.1016/j.wocn.2018.06.001
Journal or Publication Title:	J. Phon.
Volume:	70
Page Range:	S. 39 - 56
Date:	2018
Publisher:	ACADEMIC PRESS LTD- ELSEVIER SCIENCE LTD
Place of Publication:	LONDON
ISSN:	0095-4470
Language:	English
Faculty:	Unspecified
Divisions:	Unspecified
Subjects:	no entry
Uncontrolled Keywords:	Keywords Language RESEARCH FOUNDATIONAL IDEAS; PHONOLOGICAL REPRESENTATION; STATISTICAL-METHODS; POWER CALCULATIONS; PUBLICATION BIAS; LANGUAGE; FALLACY; PSEUDOREPLICATION; STANDARD; DURATION Multiple languages Linguistics; Language & Linguistics Multiple languages
Refereed:	Yes
URI:	http://kups.ub.uni-koeln.de/id/eprint/17373