Question

Define publication bias

Answer 1

Publication bias refers to the phenomenon where the outcomes of research studies influence their likelihood of being published. This bias occurs when studies with positive or significant results are more likely to be published, while those with negative or non-significant results are often overlooked or rejected. As a result, the published literature becomes skewed, overrepresenting studies that show a positive effect or a significant relationship and underrepresenting studies that do not. This imbalance can lead to a misrepresentation of the true effects or relationships in a given field of research and can distort meta-analyses and systematic reviews, leading to potentially misleading conclusions about the efficacy or validity of interventions, treatments, or theories.