Tag Archives: negative-studies

Blind alleys

From Slashdot today:

Scientific discovery is fraught with false starts and blind alleys. As a result, labs accumulate vast amounts of valuable knowledge on what not to do, and what does not work. Trouble is, this knowledge is not shared using the usual method of scientific communication: the peer-reviewed article. It remains within the lab, or at the most shared informally among close colleagues. As it stands, the scientific culture discourages sharing negative results. Continue reading Blind alleys

99%

Don´t read this if you haven´t finished your thesis.

Tadataka Yamada -former chairman of research and development for SmithKline Beecham Pharamaceuticals- is quoted in The Lancet of August 12, 2006, that “99% of what we do in industry fails”.

John Ioannides revises his PLOS statement from “most” research finding is false to “up to 90%” for a moderate risk factors with limited replication. Given the fact that many negative studies are never published, also academia would be in the Yamada range.

I should have been taught that earlier. Yea, yea.