Measurement in Murky Waters: Mapping the Complexity of Upstream Methodological Factors

By detailing a long-disputed measurement application from astrobiology, I analyze the relations between theoretical assumptions, research questions, measurement procedures, manufactured effects, and genuine phenomena in measurement robustness (MR). First, I present a problem about measurement standards in MR. Second, I show that the resolution to this problem requires extending MR beyond results and procedures to include: how discipline specific assumptions moderate measurement standards and research questions; as well as how those assumptions influence the manipulation of measurement conditions, which can result in artifact production, genuine effect destruction, or the creation of instructive effects.