Bringing Order to the Chaos in the Brickyard

Abstract

An allegory published in 1963 titled Chaos in the Brickyard spoke to the decline in the quality of research. In the intervening time greater awareness of the issues and actions to improve research endeavors have emerged. Still, problems persist. This paper is intended to clarify some of the challenges, particularly with respect to quantitative research, then suggest ways to improve the quality of published research. The paper highlights where feasible refinements in analytical techniques can be made and provides a guide to fundamental principles related to data analysis in research.