What does publication bias do to published literature?

What does publication bias do to published literature?

• A. More favorable results are published
• B. More negative results are published
• C. More studies are withdrawn
• D. More replication studies are published

Answer: (A)

Publication bias means that studies with favorable or significant findings are more likely to see publication. Because journals and researchers often favor positive results, the body of published work ends up overrepresenting these outcomes. This makes the literature appear to show stronger effects than truly exist, since many null or negative results stay unpublished in the “file drawer.” As a result, meta-analyses or reviews based on published studies can overestimate effectiveness. It's not that negative results are published more, nor does publication bias directly relate to more withdrawals or more replication studies. The key idea is the tendency for the literature to skew toward favorable results.

Publication bias means that studies with favorable or significant findings are more likely to see publication. Because journals and researchers often favor positive results, the body of published work ends up overrepresenting these outcomes. This makes the literature appear to show stronger effects than truly exist, since many null or negative results stay unpublished in the “file drawer.” As a result, meta-analyses or reviews based on published studies can overestimate effectiveness. It's not that negative results are published more, nor does publication bias directly relate to more withdrawals or more replication studies. The key idea is the tendency for the literature to skew toward favorable results.