Prediction and accommodation HARKing is associated with the debate regarding prediction and accommodation. In the case of prediction, hypotheses are deduced from a priori theory and evidence. In the case of accommodation, hypotheses are induced from the current research results. One view is that HARKing represents a form of accommodation in which researchers induce ad hoc hypotheses from their current results (Kerr, 1998). Another view is that HARKing represents a form of prediction in which researchers deduce hypotheses from a priori theory and evidence after they know their current results (Rubin, 2019 ). Rubin ( 2019 ) provided a critical analysis of Kerr's (1998) 12 costs of HARKing. He concluded that these costs "are either misconceived, misattributed to HARKing, lacking evidence, or that they do not take into account pre- and post-publication peer review and public availability to research materials and data." A third position is that HARKing is acceptable provided that (a) hypotheses are explicitly deduced from a priori theory and evidence, as explained in a theoretical rationale, and (b) readers have access to the relevant research data and materials (Rubin, 2019 ). According to this position, HARKing does not prevent readers from making an adequately informed evaluation of (a) the theoretical quality and plausibility of the (HARKed) hypotheses and (b) the methodological rigor with which the hypotheses have been tested. In this case, HARKing does not conceal a useful part of the truth. Furthermore, researchers may claim that a priori theory and evidence predict their results even if the prediction is deduced after they know their results.
Prediction and accommodation HARKing is associated with the debate regarding prediction and accommodation. In the case of prediction, hypotheses are deduced from a priori theory and evidence. In the case of accommodation, hypotheses are induced from the current research results. One view is that HARKing represents a form of accommodation in which researchers induce ad hoc hypotheses from their current results (Kerr, 1998). Another view is that HARKing represents a form of prediction in which researchers deduce hypotheses from a priori theory and evidence after they know their current results (Rubin, 2022 ). Rubin ( 2022 ) provided a critical analysis of Kerr's (1998) 12 costs of HARKing. He concluded that these costs "are either misconceived, misattributed to HARKing, lacking evidence, or that they do not take into account pre- and post-publication peer review and public availability to research materials and data." A third position is that HARKing is acceptable provided that (a) hypotheses are explicitly deduced from a priori theory and evidence, as explained in a theoretical rationale, and (b) readers have access to the relevant research data and materials (Rubin, 2022 ). According to this position, HARKing does not prevent readers from making an adequately informed evaluation of (a) the theoretical quality and plausibility of the (HARKed) hypotheses and (b) the methodological rigor with which the hypotheses have been tested. In this case, HARKing does not conceal a useful part of the truth. Furthermore, researchers may claim that a priori theory and evidence predict their results even if the prediction is deduced after they know their results.
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