Plan data management

Pre-registration

Pre-registration is the practice of publishing, in advance, how you plan to collect data and analyze it. The idea behind pre-registration is to ensure that the data generated during a research project is used to test a hypothesis rather than to generate one. This improves the quality and transparency of research and also addresses the replication crisis.

Pre-registration databases

• OSF Preregistration: Centre for Open Science initiative
• AsPredicted: Generate a pre-registration document by answering nine questions.
• Amercian Economic Association's RCT Registry: Regsitry of Randomized Controlled Trials (RCTs) in economics and other social sciences
• protocols.io: online tool for describing your methodology
• Clinical trials registries:
  • ClinicalTrials.gov
  • ISRCTN registry
  • Primary Registries in the WHO Registry Network
  
  

Registration reports

Image source: Centre for Open Science

Registration reports are a form of pre-registration that are peer-reviewed. Researchers submit papers, for review and approval, that describe their research questions and methodology before the data is collected and the results of the study are known.

The Center for Open Science keeps a list of all journals that publish registration reports.