Scholars take aim at false positives in research

A single change to a century-old statistical standard would dramatically improve the quality of research in many scientific fields, shrinking the number of so-called false positives, according to a commentary published Sept. 1 in Nature Human Behaviour. The argument, co-authored by University of Chicago economist John List, represents the consensus of 72 scholars from institutions throughout the world and disciplines ranging from neurobiology to philosophy. Their recommendations could have a major effect on the publication of academic work and on public policy. "We advertise interventions as working because statistically we think they're working. But they're actually not working. This is becoming a crisis in the sciences," said List, the Kenneth C. Griffin Distinguished Service Professor in Economics.