What is a consequence of selective reporting in research?

Selective reporting in research occurs when only certain data or results are presented, while others are omitted based on their significance or alignment with the researcher's expectations or hypotheses. This practice can lead to misleading conclusions because it creates a distorted representation of the research findings. By highlighting only favorable or significant results, selective reporting can misinform stakeholders, including other researchers, policy-makers, and the public, about the actual effectiveness or validity of an intervention or theory.

For instance, if a study seeks to demonstrate the efficacy of a new drug, but only reports the results of experiments that yielded positive outcomes while ignoring those that were inconclusive or negative, the overall understanding of the drug's effectiveness may be severely skewed. This can ultimately influence future research directions, clinical practices, and health policies based on incomplete or biased information.

The other options do not accurately reflect the implications of selective reporting. It does not enhance the legitimacy of research findings, as legitimate research is characterized by transparency and comprehensiveness. It also does not provide a holistic view of study results; instead, it can create a one-sided narrative. Finally, while collaboration among researchers is critical for robust science, selective reporting is generally detrimental to research integrity and does not promote collaboration.