Scientific Failure: The Importance of Publishing Negative Results in Scientific Research

The scientific community is often focused on positive results, where the hypothesis is proven to be true. However, negative results, where the hypothesis is disproven, are often overlooked and unpublished due to a lack of incentives for researchers to publish them. This bias towards only publishing positive results could be hindering future breakthroughs in scientific research and publishing.

To address this issue, the Journal of Trial and Error was founded specifically to publish papers with negative results. By changing the perception of failure within the scientific community, the journal’s team hopes to strengthen the field of science and promote a more comprehensive understanding of the scientific process.

Guest host Anna Rothschild spoke with Dr. Sarahanne Field, editor-in-chief of the Journal of Trial and Error and assistant professor in behavioral and social sciences at the University of Groningen. During their conversation, they discussed the importance of recognizing and publishing negative results in scientific research to promote a more comprehensive understanding of the scientific process.