Reality: A growing number of journals, along with dedicated outlets for null and replication results, actively seek these papers, recognizing that publication bias has real scientific costs.
Myth: A null result means your research methodology was flawed.
Reality: A rigorously designed study that produces a null result is often more valuable than a poorly designed one that stumbles into significance, because it tells the field something genuinely reliable.
Myth: Reviewers will assume you simply didn't find anything interesting.
Reality: Reviewers respond well to null results framed around what the finding rules out or clarifies for future research methodology choices, rather than presented as a disappointing outcome.
