Quote Originally Posted by Silvean View Post
I don't write in science but my understanding is that most studies operate with a hypothesis and predicted results. The real test comes when a person is willing to accept when data refutes a prediction. So beliefs and inclinations (perhaps biases) shape the kinds of studies that are done and the predictions that precede the tests. Science work from a university or similar institution usually goes through an Institutional Review Board (IRB) meant to screen for conflicts of interest.

I read education journals from time to time and it's rather common for researchers to apply some intervention to a classroom setting and then report, to their probable dismay, that it did not produce any measurable benefits.
That's what the peer review process is for. Either your data speaks for itself or the work will not be published in a journal worth a damn.