Journal Article

Want to Try a Registered Report? Here Are Our Lessons Learned

Alley, Lindsay J., Oshiro, Briana, Flake, Jessica Kay

2024

Overview

A Registered Report is a type of research journal article in which the introduction, methods, and analysis plan are proposed and peer-reviewed prior to the execution of the study. The goal is to limit publication bias based on study findings by conducting peer review on the merits of the study before the results are known. First introduced in 2012 (Chambers, 2013; Chambers & Tzavella, 2022), this format of journal article publication has become more commonplace. Here we provide an overview of the format as well as eight core lessons we learned while preparing Registered Reports. We integrate guidelines from the literature with our experience to provide insight into the process of preparing and publishing a Registered Report for those who have not yet tried it. Though Registered Reports require researchers to invest more effort at the earlier stages of idea generation, design, and analysis planning, they will benefit from the feedback of reviewers when it is most beneficial and leave behind the fear of rejection due to unanticipated study limitations or null results. Un rapport enregistré est un type d'article de journal de recherche dans lequel l'introduction, les méthodes et le plan d'analyse sont proposés et examinés par des pairs avant l'exécution de l'étude. L'objectif est de limiter le biais de publication basé sur les résultats de l'étude en procédant à un examen par les pairs des mérites de l'étude avant que les résultats ne soient connus. Introduit pour la première fois en 2012 (Chambers, 2013; Chambers & Tzavella, 2022), ce format de publication d'articles de journaux est devenu plus courant. Nous présentons ici une vue d'ensemble du format ainsi que huit leçons essentielles que nous avons apprises en préparant des rapports enregistrés. Nous intégrons les lignes directrices de la littérature à notre expérience pour donner un aperçu du processus de préparation et de publication d'un rapport enregistré à ceux qui ne l'ont pas encore essayé. Bien que les rapports enregistrés exigent des chercheurs qu'ils investissent davantage d'efforts aux premiers stades de la génération d'idées, de la conception et de la planification de l'analyse, ces derniers bénéficieront du retour d'information des évaluateurs au moment le plus opportun et ne craindront plus d'être rejetés en raison de limitations imprévues de l'étude ou de résultats nuls. Public Significance Statement Publication bias is the tendency for journals to publish statistically significant results, which in turn incentivizes researchers towards obtaining such results. These incentives lead to a less replicable and less robust scientific record, limiting the positive effect science can have on society. A Registered Report is a relatively new type of journal article that seeks to change the incentives: the introduction, methods, and analysis plan are proposed and peer-reviewed before the results are known. A Registered Report is then accepted based on the merits of the idea and the proposed (and then realized) plan for testing the idea. However, many scientists are not yet familiar with this format or may have trepidation in trying it. This article encourages psychological researchers to try the format by providing guidance on how to prepare a Registered Report using real examples based on experience.

• Publisher: Educational Publishing Foundation,Canadian Psychological Association
• Subject: Bias / Editorial Policies / Human / Humans / Hypotheses / Literature / Methodology / Open Science / Peer Evaluation / Peer review / Peer Review, Research - standards / Periodicals as Topic / Planning / Pre-Registration Publication / Publication Bias / Publishing / Publishing - standards / Research Report - standards / Researchers