For manuscripts that are based on a complete preregistered protocol (planned methods and analyses for a study) that we have accepted, we follow the submission and evaluation process illustrated in the flow chart below.
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Our policy on what counts as a Registered Report. We will handle as a Registered Report any protocol that fully specifies the methods and analysis plan for the intended future study, so long as the authors have not performed their planned analyses on any of the data they will be collecting in their study.
This means we will consider e.g. systematic reviews as Registered Reports, even if the authors are already aware of the data that exists and may therefore be able to predict the results of their review.
While we are therefore not using a concept of severity of test as part of our definition of preregistration, as has been advocated for example by Lakens et al. (2024), we do require authors to declare in the cover letter for their protocol the extent to which they have already seen and potentially analysed the data they will be collecting in their study.
Any protocol exceeding a Level 0 preregistration can be accepted by EBT as a Registered Report, so long as the protocol includes a complete methods and analysis plan. We will still offer in-principle acceptance of complete Level 0 preregistrations, they will just not be designated as Registered Reports.
Due to the benefits of peer-reviewing and publishing planned methods prior to conducting a study, protocols that do not include both a complete account of planned methods and planned analyses may be accepted but the final submission will be treated as a single stage study not a Registered Report.
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