How do you think publication bias impacts the credibility of the published literature in your field?

Answer Explanations

• Somewhat reduces credibility

  user-725842
   Publication bias somewhat reduces the credibility of the published literature in the biotech and pharmaceutical industry. When studies with positive results are overrepresented, it can create a skewed understanding of the efficacy and safety of treatments. This bias may lead to inflated estimates of treatment effects, misinformed clinical decisions, and ineffective or harmful therapies being promoted. While the core of scientific research remains robust, the underreporting of null or negative results undermines the completeness and reliability of the evidence base, necessitating reforms to ensure a more accurate and comprehensive representation of all research findings.  After the COVID-19 pandemic, there have been incidences where, in many journals, several authors had to retract their publications due to challenges with reproducibility pf their work.
• Greatly reduces credibility

  user-575039
  It greatly reduces evidence credibility. Because, the scientific community already know that how journals prefer positive results to publish than either negative or null results.
• Greatly reduces credibility

  user-525512
  This is what publication bias does: overrepresentation of positive or statistically significant results and suppression of null or negative results in the literature. This creates a disproportional view about the total amount of existing evidence and thereby overestimation of effectiveness or significance of some interventions, techniques, or approaches. Therefore, the validity of the literature in print is actually terribly compromised as every time it never represents any view regarding research outcomes in its totality and devoid of any bias. Thus, publication bias becomes an issue that is worthy of serious concern for the preservation and augmentation of the validity of the published record in the field of computer science and engineering.
• Has no impact on credibility

  user-887652
  You left out "enhances credibility" with the public. That is an actual problem, and it is connected to press coverage and popularization.
• Greatly reduces credibility

  user-887682
  Greatly impacted, we can't reproduce the results from top journals! Around 90% of published results simply non-reproducible trash. 
• Has little impact on credibility

  user-902950
  In terms of credibility, if the science is rigororous, the impact should be minimal. It just hinders viewing the bigger picture.
• Somewhat reduces credibility

  user-765807
  Publication bias somewhat reduces credibility in the published literature. When studies with positive results are disproportionately published, it skews the evidence base. Researchers, journals, and the scientific community must actively address this issue to maintain trust in research findings.
• Greatly reduces credibility

  user-293647
  publication bias does not allow for the true risk of products in commerce.  How does anyone feel this useful.  Having a more complete picture of product risk should be welcomed.
• Somewhat reduces credibility

  user-584178
  While not often discussed, I think people implicitly distrust any pharmaceutical company sponsored research as a result.
• Has little impact on credibility

  user-673264
  No comments
• Somewhat reduces credibility

  user-650602
  Scientist still want their work to get out, no matter what
• Greatly reduces credibility

  user-975015
  Some great journals got reject due to lack of expertise 
• Greatly reduces credibility

  user-245397
  0
• Has little impact on credibility

  user-447943
  While negative results may contradict previously obtained and published results, I believe they should be published to achieve a better understanding of the studied phenomenon
• Greatly reduces credibility

  user-388091
  I have not seen such a simple study, but I would predict that a poll of the percentage of articles withdrawn for fraud, scientific misconduct, or other "ladder climber" - motivated reasons, would be highest amongst the sensationalized magazines - e.g. Science and Nature. It wastes everyone's time. 
• Somewhat reduces credibility

  user-861631
  Publication bias somewhat reduces the credibility of the published literature in the field, as it creates a partial and potentially distorted representation of research results. When only studies with positive results are more frequently published, this can lead to an inflated perception of the efficacy of certain interventions or theories. Researchers and professionals who rely on this literature may make decisions based on an incomplete set of evidence, which can affect the quality and accuracy of their work. However, since many studies still adhere to rigorous methodological standards, the overall credibility of the literature is not entirely compromised but is weakened by the absence of a more balanced view of research results.
• Greatly reduces credibility

  user-773118
  So, normally I only trust what I have found.
• Somewhat reduces credibility

  user-683654
  It makes people to want to publish incomplete results. Similarly, articles that should just be one are splitted into two or three so that a person can show that he has many articles. 
• Somewhat reduces credibility

  user-606148
  Consumers of research reports learn to critically assess claims of efficacy, for all the reasons given above.   Large scale studies with strong designs, and a history of replication, are usually impossible due to limited funding of education research of all kinds. 
• Somewhat reduces credibility

  user-649046
  All positive findings are not useful findings to impact positive science and societal development and therefore, indiscriminate publication bias definitely affect the credibility of published research results.
• Somewhat reduces credibility

  user-625143
  We often do not have enough information about common treatments that don't work. 
• Somewhat reduces credibility

  user-74194
  Depends on the readers' level of sophistication.