Publishing "Negative" Research Studies

[Moogash]

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How do you all feel about publishing "negative" research studies, or studies where the null hypothesis persists? I just finished a cohort study using very thorough statistical methods, but we were unable to prove our original hypothesis. I still think we ought to try and publish our data, though it is not a "sexy" result.

Is this something others have had luck with? I feel as though journals may be less likely to accept a negative study, but it is otherwise a knowledge gap that was previously unexplored.

 

[junky372]

PLoS and their affiliated journals state that they'll accept all scientifically sound research regardless of perceived impact. Other open access journals might also be open to taking it. Only downside is that they, like most open access journals, have an article processing charge that goes up to a couple thousand dollars.

If you go this route and look for a place outside the established open access journals (e.g. PLoS, Nature Network Open, JAMA network open), make sure you're not signing onto a predatory journal.

 

[1Cor1557]

This months American Journal of Gastroenterology is a "negative" issue completely, a high impact journal will seriously entertain your work if it meaningfully addresses a clinical/scientific question (IE, interventions that do not lead to any desired outcomes are perhaps clinical actions to ought to be avoided)