Week 9 Seminar: The null result

A seminar built around a real file-drawer case study, and a working session for "A Practice in Subtraction," due at the end of next week

21 April 2027

Before the seminar#

Read the short case study circulated after the lecture: a real published meta-analysis whose conclusions shifted once a batch of unpublished null results was tracked down and folded back in. Come with an opinion on whether the original published literature was wrong, or just incomplete, and whether that distinction matters.

In the seminar#

We argue the case study, then turn it back on the course itself: has this semester’s own reading list quietly favoured successful, published omissions over the failed or costly ones? Second half is working time — bring your in-progress “A Practice in Subtraction” piece for quick feedback rounds, since it’s due at the end of next week.

Afterwards#

If your working session feedback suggested your cut isn’t legible yet, this is the point in the semester to fix that, not after submission.