The file drawer effect – a long-lasting issue in science

Abstract

Most of the scientific outputs produced by researchers are inaccessible since they are not published in scientific journals: they remain in the researchers' drawers, forming what we call the Dark Science. This is a long-standing issue in research, creating a misleading view of the scientific facts. Contrary to the current literature overfed with positive findings, the Dark Science is nurtured with null findings, replications, flawed experimental designs and other research outputs. Publishers, researchers, institutions and funders all play an important role in the accumulation of those unpublished works, but it is only once we understand the reasons and the benefits of publishing all the scientific findings that we can collectively act to solve the Dark Science problem. In this article, we discuss the causes and consequences of the Dark Science expansion, arguing that science and scientists would benefit from getting all their findings to the light of publication.