Well, I'll be damned

Most scientific papers are probably wrong

* 02:00 30 August 2005
* NewScientist.com news service
* Kurt Kleiner


Most published scientific research papers are wrong, according to a new analysis. Assuming that the new paper is itself correct, problems with experimental and statistical methods mean that there is less than a 50% chance that the results of any randomly chosen scientific paper are true.

John Ioannidis, an epidemiologist at the University of Ioannina School of Medicine in Greece, says that small sample sizes, poor study design, researcher bias, and selective reporting and other problems combine to make most research findings false. But even large, well-designed studies are not always right, meaning that scientists and the public have to be wary of reported findings.

"We should accept that most research findings will be refuted. Some will be replicated and validated. The replication process is more important than the first discovery," Ioannidis says.

Well, who'd 'a thunk it? 50 percent! Why not just toss a coin?

Courtesy of chookyfuzzbang.