Negativity towards negative results: a discussion of the disconnect between scientific worth and scientific culture

Authors

Natalie Matosin, University of WollongongFollow
Elisabeth Frank, University of WollongongFollow
Martin Engel, University of WollongongFollow
Jeremy S. Lum, University of WollongongFollow
Kelly Newell, University of WollongongFollow

RIS ID

88276

Publication Details

Matosin, N., Frank, E., Engel, M., Lum, J. S. & Newell, K. A. (2014). Negativity towards negative results: a discussion of the disconnect between scientific worth and scientific culture. Disease Models and Mechanisms, 7 (2), 171-173.

Abstract

Science is often romanticised as a flawless system of knowledge building, where scientists work together to systematically find answers. In reality, this is not always the case. Dissemination of results are straightforward when the findings are positive, but what happens when you obtain results that support the null hypothesis, or do not fit with the current scientific thinking? In this Editorial, we discuss the issues surrounding publication bias and the difficulty in communicating negative results. Negative findings are a valuable component of the scientific literature because they force us to critically evaluate and validate our current thinking, and fundamentally move us towards unabridged science.