> If the methodology is good, the sample sizes big enough, the statistics correctly done, etc., I don't care if Mickey Mouse wrote the study. I’d agree with th

> If the methodology is good, the sample sizes big enough, the statistics correctly done, etc., I don't care if Mickey Mouse wrote the study. I’d agree with this but in the real world, we usually don’t and can’t really know if the methodology and statistical analysis was solid and rigorously followed as described in the paper – if it they were even adequately described. The only way to be sure is to replicate the study and that costs time and money (as per Brandolini's Law). Evaluating incentives (e.g., follow the money) is a useful heuristic to evaluate the creditability and trustworthiness of a particular study.