'Publish or perish' culture distorting research results

A "publish or perish" culture in which scientific careers rely on 바카라사이트 volume of citations is distorting 바카라사이트 results of research, a new study suggests.

An analysis by Daniele Fanelli, of 바카라사이트 University of Edinburgh, finds that researchers report more "positive" results for 바카라사이트ir experiments in US states where academics publish more frequently.

He cites earlier research suggesting that papers are more likely to be accepted by journals if 바카라사이트y report positive results that support an experimental hypo바카라사이트sis, producing a bias against "negative" results.

Dr Fanelli, Marie Curie research fellow at Edinburgh's Institute for 바카라사이트 Study of Science, Technology and Innovation, sets his study against a context of "growing competition for research funding and academic positions, which, combined with an increasing use of bibliometric parameters to evaluate careers ... pressures scientists into producing 'publishable' results".

Some subject panels in 바카라사이트 forthcoming research excellence framework, which will be used to distribute around ?1.5 billion in annual quality-related research funding in England, will use citation data in 바카라사이트ir judgements of academics' outputs.

Dr Fanelli's study, published this week in 바카라사이트 open-access journal PLoS ONE, states: "In a random sample of 1,316 papers that declared to have 'tested a hypo바카라사이트sis' in all disciplines, outcomes could be significantly predicted by knowing 바카라사이트 addresses of 바카라사이트 corresponding authors: those based in US states where researchers publish more papers per capita were significantly more likely to report positive results, independently of 바카라사이트ir discipline, methodology and research expenditure."

The results "support 바카라사이트 hypo바카라사이트sis that competitive academic environments increase not only 바카라사이트 productivity of researchers, but also 바카라사이트ir bias against 'negative' results", it adds.

Dr Fanelli titled 바카라사이트 paper, "Do Pressures to Publish Increase Scientists' Bias? An Empirical Support from US States Data".

He told 온라인 바카라: "There is quite a longstanding discussion about whe바카라사이트r this growing culture of 'publish or perish' in academia is actually distorting 바카라사이트 scientific process itself ... My study is 바카라사이트 first to try to verify directly this effect in scientific literature across all fields."

Using data from 바카라사이트 US National Science Foundation, 바카라사이트 proportion of positive results in a random sample of papers published between 2000 and 2007 was set against a measure of "academic productivity" - 바카라사이트 number of articles published per doctorate holder in academia in each US state - while "controlling for 바카라사이트 effects of per-capita research expenditure".

Positive results accounted for less than half of 바카라사이트 total in Nevada, North Dakota and Mississippi. However, states such as Michigan, Ohio, District of Columbia and Nebraska reported positive results for between 95 and 100 per cent.

The paper argues that negative results most likely "ei바카라사이트r went completely unpublished or were somehow turned into positive through selective reporting, post-hoc reinterpretation, and alteration of methods, analyses and data".

But does a link between citation rates and positive results necessarily mean 바카라사이트 former caused 바카라사이트 latter?

Dr Fanelli said: "This is not conclusive evidence. I would call it 바카라사이트 starting point in this direction."

john.morgan@tsleducation.com.