ArticlePLoS biology2020
Preregistration of exploratory research: Learning from the golden age of discovery.
Article in PLoS biology, 2020. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 21 papers.
What it found
Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.
The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
21 citing papers in PubMed.
- A survey of researchers' attitudes to preregistration in animal research reveals multiple perceived barriers to adoption.PLoS biology · 2026Article
- A call for preregistration of in vitro research : Pregistration as a tool to improve reproducibility and transparency.EMBO reports · 2026Article
- Improving statistical reporting in psychology.Communications psychology · 2025Review
- Longitudinal study of open goals in physical activity promotion: protocol for 'Open to Move'.BMJ open sport & exercise medicine · 2025Article
- Longitudinal single-subject neuroimaging study reveals effects of daily environmental, physiological, and lifestyle factors on functional brain connectivity.PLoS biology · 2024Article
- Best practices for data management and sharing in experimental biomedical research.Physiological reviews · 2024Review
- Open Science 2.0: Towards a truly collaborative research ecosystem.PLoS biology · 2023Article
- Using preregistration as a tool for transparent fNIRS study design.Neurophotonics · 2023Article
- Ten simple rules for designing and conducting undergraduate replication projects.PLoS computational biology · 2023Article
- Registered report: Survey on attitudes and experiences regarding preregistration in psychological research.PloS one · 2023Article
- Autonomous, bidding, credible, decentralized, ethical, and funded (ABCDEF) publishing.F1000Research · 2023Article
- The EQIPD framework for rigor in the design, conduct, analysis and documentation of animal experiments.Nature methods · 2022Article
- Open and reproducible science practices in psychoneuroendocrinology: Opportunities to foster scientific progress.Comprehensive psychoneuroendocrinology · 2022Review
- Ten simple rules for good research practice.PLoS computational biology · 2022Article
- Trinity review: integrating Registered Reports with research ethics and funding reviews.BMC research notes · 2022Article
- Biosecurity in an age of open science.PLoS biology · 2022Article
- Premiering pre-registration at PLOS Biology.PLoS biology · 2022Article
- Can Any Drug Be Repurposed for Cancer Treatment? A Systematic Assessment of the Scientific Literature.Cancers · 2021Article
- Using the concept of "deserved trust" to strengthen the value and integrity of biomedical research.Accountability in research · 2021Article
- Preregistration and Registered Reports: A Key Pathway to Enhancing Robustness and Replicability in Mental Health Research.Biological psychiatry global open science · 2021Article
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
1 author.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
Preregistration of study protocols and, in particular, Registered Reports are novel publishing formats that are currently gaining substantial traction. Besides rating the research question and soundness of methodology over outstanding significance of the results, they can help with antagonizing inadequate statistical power, selective reporting of results, undisclosed analytic flexibility, as well as publication bias. Preregistration works well when a clear hypothesis, primary outcome, and mode of analysis can be formulated. But is it also applicable and useful in discovery research, which develops theories and hypotheses, measurement techniques, and generates evidence that justifies further research? I will argue that only slight modifications are needed to harness the potential of preregistration and make exploratory research more trustworthy and useful.
Indexed as
Identifiers
What OpenQuestion holds
Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.