The Society for the Improvement of Psychological Science (SIPS) and the journal, Collabra: Psychology, together invite researchers to propose empirical research projects that will be considered in parallel for research funding by SIPS and a publication decision by Collabra: Psychology.
With this registered report funding partnership (RRFP), we seek to encourage empirical research that 1) addresses questions in hard-to-reach populations or otherwise seeks to maximize generalizability, and 2) reflects rigorous, inclusive psychological science that is open and reported transparently regardless of results.
Proposals will be formatted as a stage 1 registered report, described below. All topics and approaches that fit the aims and scope of Collabra: Psychology are welcome. Although the registered report article format was optimized for confirmatory research, we welcome quantitative, qualitative, confirmatory, exploratory, and computational modeling approaches.
REGISTERED REPORT FORMAT
As noted by the Center for Open Science, “Registered Reports are a form of empirical journal article in which methods and proposed analyses are pre-registered and peer-reviewed prior to research being conducted. High quality protocols are then provisionally accepted for publication before data collection commences. This format of article… eliminates a variety of questionable research practices, including low statistical power, selective reporting of results, and publication bias, while allowing complete flexibility to conduct exploratory (unregistered) analyses and report serendipitous findings.”
A stage 1 registered report (RR) contains an introduction, method section, and (optionally) any pilot data. The introduction sets the context for key research questions with reference to supporting literature and explains how the proposed research will advance our understanding of hard-to-reach populations or maximize generalizability. The method section describes the design, subjects (if applicable), materials, procedure, and analysis plan. Analysis of pilot data can be presented to substantiate aspects of the proposed research.
RRFP PROCESS IN BRIEF
Researchers responding to this call for proposals will describe their proposed research in a stage 1 RR manuscript. For detailed instructions about writing a stage 1 RR, see pages 3-6 of the Collabra: Psychology Registered Reports detailed guidelines. See also Collabra’s tips for avoiding desk rejection at stage 1 on pages 8-10.
When the stage 1 RR is ready, the lead contributor will submit the stage 1 RR to Collabra: Psychology by the deadline. SIPS and Collabra: Psychology will independently evaluate the proposed research in parallel.
SIPS will make funding decisions; possible outcomes include denial or approval of funding. Collabra: Psychology will make publication decisions; possible outcomes include rejection, invitation to revise, or in-principle acceptance. In-principle acceptance means “the article will be published pending successful completion of the study according to the exact methods and analytic procedures outlined, as well as a defensible and evidence-bound interpretation of the results” (p. 5 of the guidelines).
Funding and publication decisions will be based on a commitment to support research that prioritizes addressing questions in hard-to-reach populations or otherwise seeks to maximize generalizability and research that is rigorously and transparently conducted, statistically sound, adequately powered, fairly analyzed, and worthy of inclusion in the scholarly record.
Funding is not contingent on achieving in-principle acceptance at Collabra: Psychology.
Pending satisfaction of conditions described under Award Information below, SIPS will award funds to lead contributors who were granted funding regardless of the outcome at Collabra: Psychology.
ELIGIBILITY
Contributors at any stage of their career at any type of institution are eligible to apply.
The lead contributor must be a member of SIPS and may request a dues waiver if financial assistance is needed to join. Lead contributors may submit only one application per deadline. Collabra: Psychology’s Editor-in-chief, Collabra: Psychology’s Senior Editors, and members of the SIPS Executive Committee are ineligible to be lead contributors.
We encourage and will give preference to projects led by scholars with one or more of the following characteristics: scholars who are members of one or more groups that are underrepresented in psychological science, scholars in training (e.g., students, postdocs), scholars who earned their doctoral degree within the last seven years, scholars working in circumstances where research is challenging or support is limited, and scholars outside Canada, Europe, and USA.
AWARD INFORMATION
Contributors may request up to $2,500 USD. SIPS intends to commit $5,000 USD total across 2-10 awards. In addition, if the lead contributor does not have access to funds for the article processing charge through their institution, they may request a waiver from Collabra: Psychology.
Funds may not be used for salary support for personnel or indirect costs to institutions. Funds may be used to cover a stipend for consultants necessary to conduct the research (e.g., undergraduate or graduate research assistance).
Release of SIPS funds to the lead contributor is contingent on the following conditions:
- The lead contributor must submit the decision letter from Collabra: Psychology to SIPS.
- The lead contributor must commit to carrying out the proposed research. If contributors no longer plan to conduct the research, they should decline the SIPS award.
- For stage 1 RRs involving research with human or animal subjects, the lead contributor must submit documentation of approval or exemption from their institutional review board / ethics committee / animal care and use committee to SIPS. (Some research may require approval or exemption by regulatory bodies at other contributors’ institutions. The research cannot proceed until all approvals or exemptions are in place.)
- If Collabra: Psychology rejects the stage 1 RR, the lead contributor must preregister their final stage 1 RR on the Open Science Framework or post a preprint on PsyArXiv and submit the URL to SIPS prior to commencing data collection for the project.
APPLICATION TIMELINE
The application process will combine funding review by SIPS with peer review by Collabra: Psychology. The deadline to submit the stage 1 RR is 1 August 2022. The process will unfold on the following timeline:
1 March 2022 SIPS will announce its registered report funding partnership with Collabra: Psychology |
1 August 2022 Contributors will submit a stage 1 RR to Collabra: Psychology. (Submission link below.) The stage 1 RR should present an introduction, method, analysis plan, and results of any pilot studies, if applicable. It should adhere to Collabra: Psychology’s editorial policies. When submitting to Collabra: Psychology, authors should include a cover letter indicating that the stage 1 RR is being submitted for consideration via the SIPS-Collabra Registered Report Funding Partnership. |
~August to October 2022 Collabra: Psychology will review the stage 1 manuscript and relay word to the lead contributor. Possible outcomes include rejection, invitation to revise, or in-principle acceptance. In parallel, SIPS will make in-principle funding decisions after removal of contributor information from proposals and relay word to the lead contributor. Possible outcomes include denial or conditional approval of funding. |
November 2022 and beyond Assuming funding conditions are met, SIPS will release funds to the lead contributor of stage 1 RRs that receive a decision from Collabra: Psychology, whatever the outcome. This ends SIPS involvement in the partnership. Contributors will then conduct the research and write the stage 2 RR. The stage 2 RR should present the introduction, method, results, and discussion after data collection and analysis. Contributors submit their stage 2 RR with a cover letter to Collabra: Psychology written according to journal guidelines. Possible outcomes include rejection, invitation to revise, or acceptance for publication by the journal. |
HOW TO APPLY
- Write a stage 1 RR that includes the following sections:
- A title page (page 1) showing the title, names and affiliations of all contributors.
- An abstract (page 2) summarizing the research.
- An introduction that sets the context for key research questions with reference to supporting literature. If applicable, explain how the proposed research will advance our understanding of hard-to-reach populations or maximize generalizability.
- A method section that describes the design, subjects (if applicable), materials, procedure, and analysis plan.
- A references section for works cited in the proposal; these do not contribute to the word limit.
- The lead contributor should submit the stage 1 RR to Collabra: Psychology by 1 August 2022. Submit here.
- List the lead contributor as the corresponding author.
- Indicate in the cover letter that the stage 1 RR should be considered via the SIPS-Collabra Registered Report Funding Partnership.
- When prompted by the editorial staff at Collabra: Psychology, complete the two required submission questionnaires. One has journal-required fields; the other has the SIPS-required fields noted at the bottom of this call for proposals.
QUESTIONS AND SPONSORSHIP
Questions? Please email sips@improvingpsych.org.
Sponsored by: SIPS membership dues and donations, and Collabra: Psychology via waiver of the article processing charge for some contributors at the journal’s discretion
SIPS-COLLABRA RRFP SUBMISSION QUESTIONNAIRE FIELDS
1. Please provide the names and role(s) of all contributors to the research. For roles, please succinctly describe what each contributor will do in service of the project; if applicable, consider using the Contributor Roles Taxonomy:
2. Lead Contributor’s Last/Family Name:
3. Lead Contributor’s First/Given Name:
4. Lead Contributor’s Institution:
5. Lead Contributor’s Email address:
6. Title of the manuscript submitted to Collabra: Psychology:
7. Which of the following describes the lead contributor? (Select all that apply):
- SIPS member (required)
- Agrees to share stage 1 RR publicly if funded (required)
- Scholar who is a member of a group that is underrepresented in psychological science
- Scholar in training position (e.g., student, postdoc)
- Scholar who earned their doctoral degree within the last seven years
- Scholar working in circumstances where research is challenging or support is limited
- Scholar living and working outside Canada, Europe, and USA
8. Which of the following describes the proposed research? (Select all that apply):
- Addresses questions in hard-to-reach populations
- Seeks to maximize generalizability
9. Does the project involve human or animal subjects? (yes/no)
10. Provide a timeline for research activities, and a budget covering up to $2,500 USD in research expenses. The budget may not include salary support for personnel or indirect costs to institutions. The budget may include a stipend for consultants necessary to conduct the research (e.g., undergraduate or graduate research assistance):