A Registered Report on Selective Reporting in Single-Case Experimental Research
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| Title: | A Registered Report on Selective Reporting in Single-Case Experimental Research |
|---|---|
| Language: | English |
| Authors: | Jason C. Travers (ORCID |
| Source: | Remedial and Special Education. 2026 47(1):36-52. |
| Availability: | SAGE Publications and Hammill Institute on Disabilities. 2455 Teller Road, Thousand Oaks, CA 91320. Tel: 800-818-7243; Tel: 805-499-9774; Fax: 800-583-2665; e-mail: journals@sagepub.com; Web site: https://sagepub.com |
| Peer Reviewed: | Y |
| Page Count: | 17 |
| Publication Date: | 2026 |
| Document Type: | Journal Articles Information Analyses Reports - Research |
| Education Level: | Higher Education Postsecondary Education |
| Descriptors: | Research Methodology, Research Design, Special Education, Educational Research, Doctoral Dissertations, Effect Size, Research Problems, Journal Articles |
| DOI: | 10.1177/07419325251350697 |
| ISSN: | 0741-9325 1538-4756 |
| Abstract: | Selective reporting is the exclusion of some study results from research reports, usually those that do not support claims of intervention effectiveness. Selective reporting inflates the perceived effects of an intervention and may mislead researchers and professionals to erroneous conclusions and courses of action. This registered report systematically investigated selective reporting in single-case experimental research studies in special education by comparing data and results reported in dissertation research published between 2010 and 2015 to respective published journal articles. Our search yielded 1,810 dissertations, of which 124 were published as journal articles and coded for discrepancies. Of the 41 dissertation-article pairs with discrepancies, we found 10 (8%) pairs that appeared to selectively report results for one or more participants and/or dependent variables. Published articles tended to report a greater number of experimental effects with larger effect sizes than dissertations. Researchers using single-case experimental designs should resist selective reporting and adopt open and transparent reporting practices. |
| Abstractor: | As Provided |
| Entry Date: | 2026 |
| Accession Number: | EJ1496652 |
| Database: | ERIC |
| Abstract: | Selective reporting is the exclusion of some study results from research reports, usually those that do not support claims of intervention effectiveness. Selective reporting inflates the perceived effects of an intervention and may mislead researchers and professionals to erroneous conclusions and courses of action. This registered report systematically investigated selective reporting in single-case experimental research studies in special education by comparing data and results reported in dissertation research published between 2010 and 2015 to respective published journal articles. Our search yielded 1,810 dissertations, of which 124 were published as journal articles and coded for discrepancies. Of the 41 dissertation-article pairs with discrepancies, we found 10 (8%) pairs that appeared to selectively report results for one or more participants and/or dependent variables. Published articles tended to report a greater number of experimental effects with larger effect sizes than dissertations. Researchers using single-case experimental designs should resist selective reporting and adopt open and transparent reporting practices. |
|---|---|
| ISSN: | 0741-9325 1538-4756 |
| DOI: | 10.1177/07419325251350697 |
