preregistrin

Preregistrin is commonly understood as preregistration, a practice in research where scientists document their study plan before collecting data. The goal is to increase transparency, reduce bias, and improve the credibility and reproducibility of findings by making hypotheses, methods, and analysis plans publicly available in advance.

Preregistration can take several forms. In simple preregistration, researchers specify the primary and secondary hypotheses, variables, data collection procedures, sample size and power considerations, inclusion criteria, and a detailed statistical analysis plan. Registered reports are a related but distinct format in which the study protocol is peer reviewed and accepted before data collection; if the plan is approved, the final manuscript is published regardless of the study outcomes. Preregistration is commonly used in psychology, social sciences, and biomedical research, and is supported by platforms such as the Open Science Framework, Aspredicted, and clinical trial registries like ClinicalTrials.gov.

Key components typically included are the research questions or hypotheses, operational definitions of variables, study design, sampling plan, data collection methods, planned analyses, criteria for stopping data collection, and how data and code will be stored and shared. Some preregistrations also distinguish confirmatory (hypothesis-testing) from exploratory analyses to clarify which results are expected to test prior predictions versus what emerges from the data.

Benefits include reduced p-hacking, lower risk of HARKing (hypothesizing after results are known), and enhanced transparency for reviewers and readers. Limitations involve potential rigidity in the face of unforeseen issues, incomplete preregistrations, and ongoing debates about flexibility and interpretation. Preregistration is encouraged by many journals and funders as part of open science practices.