Can you publish null results?

More journals today are realizing the importance of the null finding. Some even focus primarily on publishing articles with null or negative outcomes. As a scholar, please understand that your null and negative experiments are worthy of just as much importance as a positive outcome, and should be treated the same way.

Should null results be published?

Well-designed and conducted studies that demonstrate null results despite sufficient statistical power, i.e., those that fail to reject the null hypothesis, are part of the research process and are fundamental to informing the next research question to be tested.

Where can I publish null results?

Can negative results be published?

It is not only necessary to publish positive research results but negative ones as well. Only publishing positive results tend to only give a limited and skewed view of research. In the normal outline of scientific experiments, a hypothesis is made and experiments are performed.

Do journals publish non significant results?

Non-significant results are difficult to publish in scientific journals and, as a result, researchers often choose not to submit them for publication. This means that the evidence published in scientific journals is biased towards studies that find effects.

Publishing negative results

How do you handle inconclusive research results?

Mention any inconclusive results and explain them as best you can. You may suggest additional experiments needed to clarify your results. Briefly describe the limitations of your study to show reviewers and readers that you have considered your study's weaknesses.

Why is there a publication bias against null effects?

Study results with null effects indicate that the result does not support the hypothesis. Researchers often consider these types of results unexciting or a sign of failure. Journals also are more inclined to publish research with positive findings.

Why are negative results not published?

Organisational and business conflicts of interest can also produce publication bias. For example, a business may not publish negative results because they could endanger profits by diminishing the perceived effectiveness of a product or test.

Why aren t negative results published?

[2] Many researchers do not publish research with negative results because they consider it as a failed research which is not true. If the hypothesis made by them is rejected based on results of a study with sound methodology, it does not mean it is a failed research.

Does plos one publish negative results?

We evaluate research on the basis of scientific validity, strong methodology, and high ethical standards—not perceived significance. Multidisciplinary and interdisciplinary research, replication studies, negative and null results are all in scope. We also publish Registered Reports and Protocols.

When can the null be rejected?

You can reject a null hypothesis when a p-value is less than or equal to your significance level. The p-value represents the measure of the probability that a certain event would have occurred by random chance. You can calculate p-values based on your data by using the assumption that the null hypothesis is true.

How do you report a null hypothesis?

To write a null hypothesis, first start by asking a question. Rephrase that question in a form that assumes no relationship between the variables. In other words, assume a treatment has no effect. Write your hypothesis in a way that reflects this.

Can you prove the null?

Introductory statistics classes teach us that we can never prove the null hypothesis; all we can do is reject or fail to reject it. However, there are times when it is necessary to try to prove the nonexistence of a difference between groups.

Why is null considered bad?

The fundamental problem of null is that it is trying to represent the fact that it is not a value while being assigned as a value. This fundamental flaw then snowballs and manifests into problems that we see in everyday production code.

How do you explain null results?

In science, a null result is a result without the expected content: that is, the proposed result is absent. It is an experimental outcome which does not show an otherwise expected effect. This does not imply a result of zero or nothing, simply a result that does not support the hypothesis.

Why are null results important?

There is, in fact, much that we can learn from nothing. Often, however, null results don't make it to scientific publications. This not only can generate significant inefficiencies in the way science is done, it's an indicator of potentially bigger problems in the current scientific publication processes.

Do scientists publish failed experiments?

They do, but sometimes it's hard because by definition the experiment didn't work. This also depends on what you mean by a “failed experiment”. If the experiment failed because the scientist messed up, of course, that is not published. The researcher may try again or just give up, depending on the reasons for failure.

What should scientists do with negative results?

Validating negative results by further experimentation or analyses, ensuring reproducibility and statistical significance, is sometimes necessary. Researchers, editors, publishers, and funding institutions should be aware of the significance of negative findings and support their dissemination.

Why is meta-analysis controversial?

However, it is a controversial tool, because even small violations of certain rules can lead to misleading conclusions. In fact, several decisions made when designing and performing a meta-analysis require personal judgment and expertise, thus creating personal biases or expectations that may influence the result.

Should you publish negative results?

“Not publishing negative results is unethical”

and leaving the less dramatic results untouched. The big problem is that this knowledge is lost because all these experiments disappear, and many other scientists may repeat the same or a similar experiment because these results are not documented or publicly available.

What is an example of publication bias?

This can occur, for example, when for-profit companies sponsor medical research. Researchers are themselves aware of publication bias. They know that if they submit positive results, they are more likely to see their work published in prestigious journals.

How do you deal with publication bias?

Bias can be minimized by (1) insisting on high-quality research and thorough literature reviews, (2) eliminating the double standard concerning peer review and informed consent applied to clinical research and practice, (3) publishing legitimate trials regardless of their results, (4) requiring peer reviewers to ...

Are null effects common in research?

Null results are exceedingly common. Yet they aren't nearly as likely to get published as “positive” results, even though they should be.

Why most published research results are false?

Given the realities of bias, low statistical power, and a small number of true hypotheses, Ioannidis concludes that the majority of studies in a variety of scientific fields are likely to report results that are false.

What is bias against the null hypothesis?

Bias against the null hypothesis is the term used to describe the tendency to report adverse events of drugs more often than reporting on their safety.