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Comparing Bibliometric Analysis Using PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science Databases
Published on: October 24, 2019
Association between time interval to publication and statistical significance
Kay Dickersin1, Carin M Olson, Drummond Rennie
1Department of Community Health, Brown University, Providence, RI 02912, USA. kay_dickersin@brown.edu
JAMA
|June 1, 2002
Summary
Positive clinical trial results are not published faster than negative ones. Study quality and characteristics also did not affect publication speed for controlled trials.
Area of Science:
- Medical research
- Clinical trials
- Publication bias
Background:
- Studies suggest a bias towards faster publication of statistically significant clinical trial results.
- This phenomenon, known as publication bias, can skew the scientific literature.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate whether manuscripts reporting positive results from controlled clinical trials are published more quickly than those reporting negative results.
- To examine the association between statistical significance, methodologic quality, and publication time.
Main Methods:
- Tracked manuscripts submitted to JAMA from February 1996 to August 1999.
- Classified results as positive (statistically significant primary outcome) or negative.
- Included prospective controlled trials with statistical comparisons and accepted for publication.
Main Results:
- Of 133 included manuscripts, 78% reported positive results and 38% reported negative results.
- The median time from submission to publication was similar for positive (7.8 months) and negative (7.6 months) results (P=.44).
- Publication time was not associated with methodologic quality or study characteristics.
Conclusions:
- Time to publication for controlled trials was not influenced by statistical significance of results.
- Methodologic quality and other study characteristics did not impact publication speed.
- Findings suggest that publication bias related to statistical significance may not be as prevalent in this specific journal's controlled trial publications.
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