Dear All,
As researchers, we always make some hypotheses to resolve some problem based on reviewing the relevant literature. For example, someone could prepare two materials (A and B) and hypothesize that material A would work better than material B for a certain application C. Then, we design an experimental program to pursue and validate our hypotheses. The experimental results are then reproduced (maybe more than once) to remove any device-related error and ensure the results reflect the actual work of the prepared materials or device. When we get “positive” results meaning that our hypothesis is valid, then that’s a big success. However, sometimes the experimental results prove our hypothesis is actually completely wrong which makes us feel disappointment. In that sense, those results could be described as “negative”.
Of course, we are more than happy to publish the “positive” results. But how about the negative ones? I’ve read some articles that we should still go ahead and publish them to save the time and effort of other researchers who are considering similar hypotheses. However, some academics may not agree with that and shy away from publishing some results that prove they were WRONG.
Also, there is the journal’s angle. I am not sure if an editor would welcome publishing an article with negative results in the same way if the article presents positive ones.
The business owners/managers might also have their own views in this regard.
Those questions keep coming back and forth in my mind so I decided to ask other researchers on a wide platform such as RG.
Look forward to knowing your thoughts.
Best wishes,
Ahmed
YES! I believe is not only our moral obligation and social responsibility but also strongly ethical act to publish negative results. This will save a huge amount of time and money and possibly more than the positive results. Now a days there is an upsurge of such journals..I know that PLOS one, scientific reports, BMC..all accept negative results. So I am optimistic in the coming future, negative results will face lesser stigma and will be considered as important if not groundbreaking as positive results.
On the other hand, just because it is a negative result, as researchers we also need to to put as much effort in validating it as we do for positive results.
i think if we publish negative results....nothing to worry...but that person should be enough honest ...if he/she has done that research in a very smooth and honest manner...no mistake is admissible....
Then that negative result can pave research thought to other scientists...to work more on that concept
Ahmed Elsheikh, yes negative results should be published as well, some journals accept publishing negative results, so that shouldn't be a problem. Research is never predictable, so that should be fine.
Biswajoy Ghosh , Rifat Bhat , Sanaa N Al- Haj Ali Many thanks for your replies. It is a pleasure we share similar line of thinking.
Another question, what should we do when find that only one group has considered a hypothesis similar to ours but in their effort the hypothesis was proven valid? Because there is one article which has prepared two materials similar to mine for the same purpose and in their case their hypothesis was actually valid. Both of our materials and methods are not 100% similar if you know what I mean. Still, in our case the hypothesis is wrong and in theirs is right.
I know when other groups attention to the same area, they will support one of the two teams. However, what should I do now as a best course of action?
We usually publish positive results . However, negative results can be published so the new researcher will get some guidance whether to continue the research or not in that direction.?
Definitely publish them - and explore why you may have had a negative result instead of an expected positive or no-effect result. There usually is a reason why results in a data set vary from what prior research suggests, often it is related to the nature of the sample. And that can open up interesting avenues for future research. 'Negative' results are not negative in themselves, they may just not be what was expected. So find the reason why your results did not match your expectations.
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