The future of publishing scientific data: is it time to accept the wider publication of null data?

Barbara Guinn

Research Output: Contribution to journal Article Peer-review

Abstract

One of the most self-limiting dogmas’ which scientists submit themselves to is the avoidance of publishing negative data. This reflected the fact that authors generally do not write up and submit null data. The avoidance of publishing negative data (by authors and journals) ensures we only show experiments that worked and represent a clear story of success. Experiments which the research community remains ignorant of and which thus be repeated wasting the limited money currently available for research from the government and charities, and time which could be spent more productively, moving the field forward more rapidly. But how should the science community publish negative data? This Editorial discusses some of the concerns regarding publishing null data and ways we can move the bioscience forward through it's publication.

Publication Information

Output type

Research Output: Contribution to journal Article Peer-review

Original language

English

Journal (Volume, Issue Number)

EC Cancer (Volume 1, Issue 1-2.)

Publication milestones

Published - 01/12/2014

Publication status

Published - 01/12/2014

External Publication IDs

handle.net: 10547/578854