The Null Result Penalty

Felix Chopra, Ingar Haaland, Christopher Roth and Andreas Stegmann

No 9776, CESifo Working Paper Series from CESifo

Abstract: We examine how the evaluation of research studies in economics depends on whether a study yielded a null result. Studies with null results are perceived to be less publishable, of lower quality, less important, and less precisely estimated than studies with significant results, even when holding constant all other study features, including the precision of estimates. The null result penalty is of similar magnitude among PhD students and journal editors. The penalty is larger when experts predict a large effect and when statistical uncertainty is communicated with p-values rather than standard errors. Our findings highlight the value of pre-results review.

Keywords: null results; publication bias; learning; information; scientific communication (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
New Economics Papers: this item is included in nep-exp and nep-sog
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (9)

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Related works:
Journal Article: The Null Result Penalty (2024)
Journal Article: The Null Result Penalty (2023)
Working Paper: The Null Result Penalty (2022)
Working Paper: The Null Result Penalty (2022)
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