Published patterns of spin in biomedical literature: a protocol for a meta-research study

Introduction Spin is defined as reporting practices that distort the interpretation of results and create misleading conclusions by suggesting more favourable results. Such unjustifiable and misleading misrepresentation may negatively influence the development of further studies, clinical practice a...

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Main Authors: Stefan Schandelmaier, Stefan Listl, Naichuan Su, Michiel van der Linden, Geert JMG van der Heijden, Clovis M Faggion Jr
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: BMJ Publishing Group 2021-04-01
Series:BMJ Open
Online Access:https://bmjopen.bmj.com/content/11/4/e043784.full
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author Stefan Schandelmaier
Stefan Listl
Naichuan Su
Michiel van der Linden
Geert JMG van der Heijden
Clovis M Faggion Jr
author_facet Stefan Schandelmaier
Stefan Listl
Naichuan Su
Michiel van der Linden
Geert JMG van der Heijden
Clovis M Faggion Jr
author_sort Stefan Schandelmaier
collection DOAJ
description Introduction Spin is defined as reporting practices that distort the interpretation of results and create misleading conclusions by suggesting more favourable results. Such unjustifiable and misleading misrepresentation may negatively influence the development of further studies, clinical practice and healthcare policies. Spin manifests in various patterns in different sections of publications (titles, abstracts and main texts). The primary aim of this study is to identify reported spin patterns and assess the prevalence of spin in general, and the prevalence of spin patterns reported in biomedical literature based on previously published systematic reviews and literature reviews on spin.Methods and analysis PubMed, EMBASE and SCOPUS will be searched to identify systematic or literature reviews on spin in biomedicine. To improve the comprehensiveness of the search, the snowballing method will be used to broaden the search. The data on spin-related outcomes and characteristics of the included studies will be extracted. The methodological quality of the included studies will be assessed with selective items of the A MeaSurement Tool to Assess systematic Reviews-2 checklist. A new classification scheme for spin patterns will be developed if the classifications of spin patterns identified in the included studies vary. The prevalence of spin and spin patterns will be pooled based on meta-analyses if the classification schemes for spin are comparable across included studies. Otherwise, the prevalence will be described qualitatively. The seriousness of spin patterns will be assessed based on a Delphi consensus study.Ethics and dissemination This study has been approved by the Academic Centre for Dentistry Amsterdam Ethics Review Committee (2020250). The study will be submitted to a peer-reviewed scientific journal.Registration Open Science Framework: osf.io/hzv6e
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spelling doaj-art-a65609a1912a487f86d2d938f2e3cb032024-11-18T04:50:08ZengBMJ Publishing GroupBMJ Open2044-60552021-04-0111410.1136/bmjopen-2020-043784Published patterns of spin in biomedical literature: a protocol for a meta-research studyStefan Schandelmaier0Stefan Listl1Naichuan Su2Michiel van der Linden3Geert JMG van der Heijden4Clovis M Faggion Jr5Basel Institute for Clinical Epidemiology and Biostatistics, University Hospital of Basel, Basel, SwitzerlandDepartment of Dentistry – Quality and Safety of Oral Healthcare, Radboud University Medical Center, Radboud Universiteit, Nijmegen, The NetherlandsDepartment of Oral Public Health, Academic Centre for Dentistry Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The NetherlandsDepartment of Oral Public Health, Academic Centre for Dentistry Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The NetherlandsDepartment of Oral Public Health, Academic Centre for Dentistry Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The NetherlandsFaculty of Dentistry, Department of Periodontology and Operative Dentistry, University Hospital Münster, Münster, GermanyIntroduction Spin is defined as reporting practices that distort the interpretation of results and create misleading conclusions by suggesting more favourable results. Such unjustifiable and misleading misrepresentation may negatively influence the development of further studies, clinical practice and healthcare policies. Spin manifests in various patterns in different sections of publications (titles, abstracts and main texts). The primary aim of this study is to identify reported spin patterns and assess the prevalence of spin in general, and the prevalence of spin patterns reported in biomedical literature based on previously published systematic reviews and literature reviews on spin.Methods and analysis PubMed, EMBASE and SCOPUS will be searched to identify systematic or literature reviews on spin in biomedicine. To improve the comprehensiveness of the search, the snowballing method will be used to broaden the search. The data on spin-related outcomes and characteristics of the included studies will be extracted. The methodological quality of the included studies will be assessed with selective items of the A MeaSurement Tool to Assess systematic Reviews-2 checklist. A new classification scheme for spin patterns will be developed if the classifications of spin patterns identified in the included studies vary. The prevalence of spin and spin patterns will be pooled based on meta-analyses if the classification schemes for spin are comparable across included studies. Otherwise, the prevalence will be described qualitatively. The seriousness of spin patterns will be assessed based on a Delphi consensus study.Ethics and dissemination This study has been approved by the Academic Centre for Dentistry Amsterdam Ethics Review Committee (2020250). The study will be submitted to a peer-reviewed scientific journal.Registration Open Science Framework: osf.io/hzv6ehttps://bmjopen.bmj.com/content/11/4/e043784.full
spellingShingle Stefan Schandelmaier
Stefan Listl
Naichuan Su
Michiel van der Linden
Geert JMG van der Heijden
Clovis M Faggion Jr
Published patterns of spin in biomedical literature: a protocol for a meta-research study
BMJ Open
title Published patterns of spin in biomedical literature: a protocol for a meta-research study
title_full Published patterns of spin in biomedical literature: a protocol for a meta-research study
title_fullStr Published patterns of spin in biomedical literature: a protocol for a meta-research study
title_full_unstemmed Published patterns of spin in biomedical literature: a protocol for a meta-research study
title_short Published patterns of spin in biomedical literature: a protocol for a meta-research study
title_sort published patterns of spin in biomedical literature a protocol for a meta research study
url https://bmjopen.bmj.com/content/11/4/e043784.full
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