Registered Reports Funding Partnership
We believe that taking a collaborative and transparent approach to research improves research quality, reproducibility and helps promote a positive research culture.
We're launching a new registered reports pilot in collaboration with researchers at the University of Bristol and a consortium of 12 journals. The pilot aims to encourage more researchers to publish the results of their research, irrespective of the findings, by streamlining the pathway to submitting a Registered Report. It also provides the opportunity to receive peer review feedback before a research study begins.
Our Registered Reports Funding Partnership builds on a previous pilot conducted between CRUK’s Tobacco Advisory Group (TAG) and the journal Nicotine and Tobacco Research. The initial pilot was evaluated by the TARG Meta-Research Group at the University of Bristol and we'll be working with them again on this one.
What are Registered Reports?
Registered Reports are an alternative method of publishing that emphasises the importance of the research question and the scientific validity and quality of the methodology. They bypass the current incentives structure to publish only highly novel or ‘exciting’ research findings at the end of the research study.
Registered Reports also provide an opportunity for more in-depth reporting of the research methodology. This means that other research groups can harness, replicate and learn from the methods and results for other projects.
How do Registered Reports work?
Registered Reports are submitted for peer review in advance of data collection, so methodologies are reviewed and accepted for publication before data is collected and results are generated. Successful submissions are granted In-Principle Acceptance by the journal, which agrees to publish the final manuscript regardless of the results.
This shifts the recognition and reward system, incentivising studies that are important and informative regardless of the results. They are designed to improve robustness of research by:
- obtaining feedback early on when it can still improve the design of the study
- providing the opportunity to publish regardless of results
- reducing pressure on the authors to obtain ‘publishable’ results, fostering a healthier research culture
1. Grant application
2. CRUK review & decision
3. Stage 1 peer review
4. In-Principle Acceptance
Prior to the start of the research study:
Step 1 - You generate a hypothesis, design your study and submit your grant application, opting into our Registered Reports pilot.
Step 2 - We review your application and make a funding decision*.
Step 3 - If your funding application is successful, during the interim period before your study starts, you submit your Registered Report to one of our partner journals for peer review (stage 1).
Step 4 - If accepted for peer review, the journal of choice provides In-Principle Acceptance which is an agreement to publish the manuscript.
*Note that the funding decision will be made fully independent of participation in this pilot.
5. Conduct research
6. Analyse data & generate manuscript
7. Stage 2 peer review
8. Publish findings
During and after the research study:
Step 5 - You collect your data and test your hypotheses.
Step 6 - You analyse your data and generate a manuscript.
Step 7 - Your manuscript is peer reviewed by your journal of choice (stage 2 peer review).
Step 8 - The journal publishes the findings.
Who is eligible and how to apply
You can opt into our Registered Reports pilot when you apply to the following funding schemes:
Registered Reports are covered under CRUK's Policy on Open Access. CRUK provides funding for researchers to cover fair and reasonable open access publishing costs.
Journal Partners
We're proud to be working with the following journals for the launch of this pilot:
Guidance for Awardholders
Contact us
For any queries relating to this Registered Reports pilot including how to opt-in, please contact policies@cancer.org.uk.
Opt-in via the following schemes
Registered Reports webinar
Find out more about Registered Reports and our pilot by listening to the recording of our recent webinar.
Additional information on Registered Reports
Creating a positive research culture
Our research culture framework is helping to build a community of world-class researchers who will help drive our ambition of 3 in 4 people surviving cancer by 2034.