Publication bias refers to the tendency for research studies with positive or significant results to be more likely to be published than studies with negative, null, or inconclusive results. This bias can distort the scientific literature, as it leads to an overrepresentation of studies that show favorable outcomes, while studies that do not show significant effects may remain unpublished. The result is that the published body of research may not accurately reflect the true effects of an intervention or treatment.
In systematic reviews, publication bias is assessed through a funnel plot.