Underreporting research is scientific misconduct

Abstract

Chalmers discusses two phenomena that he regards as forms of\nscientific misconduct. The first is the selection of reports for publication\non the basis of "positive results" rather than of whether they have been well\nconceptualized and competently executed. The second is the failure of\ninvestigators to publish results with sufficient detail to allow judgments to\nbe made about their validity. Chalmers gives examples of underreporting of\nresearch in the field of perinatology, and reports on a survey he and\ncolleagues conducted in an attempt to identify unpublished randomized trials. \nHe discusses ways that the problem of underreporting might be reduced through\nthe efforts of investigators, funding organizations, ethics committees, and\njournal editors. Chalmers suggests that these efforts could be aided by wider\nadoption of prospective registration of trials at their inception. (KIE\nabstract)