Right Power Balance: Better Study Design but Less Emphasis on Power Would Improve Efficacy and Equity in Science

This is the authors' abstract. We don't add key points for this paper.

Power analysis currently dominates sample size determination, especially in grant and ethics applications. We plea for shifting away from this practice because such a focus could paradoxically result in a suboptimal study design. Also, undue focus on power increases disparities among scientists because only the wealthy can afford large experiments fulfilling the current power requirements. Our proposed paradigm shift involves better study designs with less focus on power, (pre-)registration and obligatory reporting, facilitating team science or multi-institutional collaboration that incorporates heterogenization, and prospective and living meta-analyses to reach generalization. Such changes would make science more effective and equitable, cultivating better collaborations.