Nature has announced the expansion of its Registered Reports format to cover all disciplines published by the journal, including natural, social, and clinical sciences, engineering, and public health. Previously, the format was limited to cognitive neuroscience and the behavioral and social sciences, and primarily applied to confirmatory research.
Registered Reports allow researchers to submit the rationale, methods, and analysis plans for peer review before data collection begins, or before existing data are accessed in the case of secondary analyses. If editors and reviewers determine that the research question is significant and the methodology is sound, the journal commits in principle to publishing the study regardless of the eventual results. This model is designed to strengthen study design, improve transparency, and reduce publication bias.
With the expansion, Nature is broadening both the range of disciplines and the types of studies eligible for submission, including large‑scale data collection and methodological comparisons.
Magdalena Skipper, Editor‑in‑Chief of Nature and Chief Editorial Advisor of Nature Portfolio, stated that Registered Reports emphasize important questions, rigorous methods, and transparent analysis. She explained that extending the format across all disciplines supports robust and transparent research, regardless of outcomes. She added that this approach can improve study design, involve reviewers earlier in the process, and ensure that negative or inconclusive findings receive appropriate visibility.
This initiative builds on Nature’s longstanding commitment to transparency, rigor, and innovation in peer review. The journal has previously supported preprints, mandated transparent peer review, and now expanded Registered Reports as part of its effort to promote community‑driven innovation alongside high‑quality research.
Click here to read the original press release.
