Effective scientific progress requires that researchers report what they find and how they found it. This is not a controversial idea, but when it comes to actual practice, in many disciplines we fall far short of the level of transparency needed to avoid major bias.

In this talk I will review evidence from ecology and evolutionary biology that insufficient transparency is widespread and that this insufficient transparency is driving substantial bias in much of the published literature. I will also discuss some of the characteristics that expose disciplines to higher rates of bias. This elevated rate of bias means that many published conclusions are unreliable and rather than contributing to scientific progress, are hindering progress by leading other researchers (and their research funding) down blind alleys.

Fortunately there is growing recognition of these problems, as well as a host of ideas for reducing bias. Individual researchers can take important steps to reduce bias in their own work, but journals, funding bodies, and universities are particularly well-positioned to promote transparency and reduce bias. 

Biography

Tim Parker is an Associate Professor at the Department of Biology, Whitman College. His research includes pattern and process in sexual selection in birds and cultural evolution via song sharing in a landscape context. Whilst examining the extensive literature on sexual selection in blue tits, Tim conducted a meta-analysis of published studies to show there was little support for most published claims regarding the sexually selected role of plumage colour. This led to Tim becoming interested in improving incentive structures in evolutionary biology and ecology to reduce type I errors and promote replication. Tim has published several papers on the lack of transparency in ecology and evolutionary biology and promotes the use of Transparency and Openness Promotion (TOP) guidelines in institutions. Tim recently co-authored a paper to provide guidance to individual scientists on how to best avoid the bias that often results from insufficient transparency.

Ecology and Evolution Seminar Series