Scientistsis

Scientistsis is a neologism used to describe the meta-study of scientific practice. It refers to examining how scientific knowledge is produced, validated, and disseminated. Areas of interest include hypothesis generation, experimental design, data analysis, peer review, publication, replication, and the influence of social and institutional factors on scientific progress.

The term is not widely established as a formal discipline. It appears mainly in science studies and philosophy of science discussions as a shorthand for investigating science at a meta level. While it overlaps with established fields such as sociology of science and science and technology studies, scientistsis is typically framed as a focused inquiry into the processes, structures, and norms that shape scientific work.

Methodologically, scientistsis draws on qualitative and quantitative approaches. Ethnography of laboratories, bibliometric analyses, meta-research projects, and historical investigations are common. Researchers may analyze publication patterns, funding workflows, collaboration networks, and replication outcomes to identify systemic effects on research quality and efficiency.

Applications and goals of scientistsis include improving reproducibility and transparency, informing science policy, and refining evaluation metrics for researchers and institutions. By clarifying how consensus forms and how research communities organize themselves, the field aims to enhance the reliability and impact of scientific endeavors.

Critics note that as a loosely defined term, scientistsis can risk ambiguity and scope drift. Critics also caution against conflating methodological critique with prescriptive policy recommendations without careful, domain-specific evidence. Nevertheless, proponents argue that it provides a useful lens for understanding and improving the practice of science.

See also: metascience, sociology of science, science and technology studies, reproducibility crisis, open science.