lisauuringutel

Lisauuringutel is a term used in Estonian-language academic discourse to denote supplementary investigations conducted alongside a core study. These investigations are designed to broaden the evidence base, address limitations of the primary research, or explore ancillary questions raised by the main findings.

Etymology and scope: The word is composed of lisä "additional" and uuring "investigation" with the plural locative suffix -utel, indicating parallel work conducted during the primary study. Lisauuringutel can include replication attempts, secondary analyses, qualitative extensions, or targeted sub-studies.

Methodology and practice: In a research program that adopts lisauuringutel, planners predefine a set of auxiliary studies, pre-register hypotheses where possible, and ensure independence from the main trial to avoid data peeking. Data from lisauuringutel are often analyzed separately and then integrated through meta-analytic or hierarchical models to gauge overall effect sizes and consistency.

Applications and significance: Lisauuringutel are used in medicine, education, and social sciences to strengthen evidence for policy decisions, improve external validity, and test generalizability across populations, settings, or outcomes.

Limitations and challenges: Conducting supplementary investigations requires resources and may raise concerns about duplicative research or selective reporting. Proper reporting, preregistration, and transparent synthesis are recommended to mitigate bias. Related concepts include replication studies and sensitivity analyses.