Registered reports funding: a pilot and feasibility study

The conventional approach to scientific research is to apply for a grant to support a project and to seek publication once the research has been finished. This is problematic as a review at the manuscript stage is limited in what it can achieve as the study has already been done. A solution for this is to use Registered Reports journal submission format which evaluates planned research on the importance of the research question and the robustness of the method. Following peer review to evaluate study protocols on these two criteria, in-principle acceptance is offered before the results are known. The logical extension is to align journal peer review with funder peer review – the Registered Reports funding model.

Before formally evaluating whether this model improves the quality of publications and the efficiency of the peer review process, we propose a feasibility and pilot study, including an evaluation of the experience of reviewers and applicants who use the model.