The Society for the Improvement of Psychological Science (SIPS) and Peer Community In Registered Reports (PCI-RR), together invite researchers to submit empirical research projects for consideration both for research funding from SIPS and a recommendation decision from PCI-RR.
Proposals will be formatted as a Stage 1 Registered Report (described below). Submissions from all areas of psychology are welcome. Although the registered report article format was originally designed for confirmatory research, this call also encourages exploratory registered report submissions. Research can be qualitative, quantitative, or use mixed methods.
WHAT IS A REGISTERED REPORT?
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.”
For full guidelines on your Stage 1 Registered Report, please see the PCI-RR guidelines.
WHAT IS PCI-RR?
Peer Community In Registered Reports (PCI-RR) is an innovative, free-to-use service that offers peer review and recommendation of Registered Reports. As a community-driven initiative, PCI-RR provides researchers with an avenue for high-quality feedback and the opportunity for streamlined publication in partner journals. Papers “recommended” by PCI-RR can be published in any “PCI-RR-friendly” journal without further peer review (see here for more info).
HOW DOES THIS REGISTERED REPORT FUNDING PARTNERSHIP (RRFP) WORK?
A Registered Report funding partnership allows researchers to secure both funding from SIPS and in principle acceptance (IPA) from PCI-RR in a coordinated process.
To apply, researchers submit a Stage 1 “snapshot” summarizing their proposed study. Researchers will then be notified about whether or not they have been provisionally allocated funding. They then have 6 weeks to submit the full Stage 1 RR to PCI-RR.
The process looks like this:
- Researchers prepare a Stage 1 snapshot using the PCI-RR template (here)
- Submit the snapshot to SIPS in this Google form along with a proposed budget by August 1st.
- If eligible, the submission will enter a lottery-based selection process where funds are allocated until the funds are exhausted.
- Researchers will be notified about whether or not they have been allocated funding.
- Researchers who are provisionally allocated funding should submit the same snapshot to PCI-RR within 7 days, and then will have 6 weeks to submit their full Stage 1 RR to PCI-RR (including their grant number in their cover letter that accompanies their snapshot).
- Researchers who are provisionally allocated funding will move through the standard review process at PCI-RR, albeit with a time limit of 4 weeks to reply to each round of review (unless a shorter time is agreed with SIPS in advance).
If at any point the Stage 1 submission (at either snapshot stage or full manuscript stage) is rejected, the allocated funds will be returned to the pool. If Stage 1 IPA is awarded by PCI-RR, SIPS will transfer the funds to the award winner. Award winners will be required to submit expense receipts for how the money was spent at the end of their project (within 1 year of the award, with the possibility for extension).
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 (note, do this before joining as a member).
- Individuals may only be authors on one application per deadline.
- PCI-RR’s Managing Board and members of the SIPS Executive Committee are ineligible to be authors on submissions.
Please only apply for this funding if you would be unable to conduct the planned research without it.
We especially 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.
Evaluation Process and Lottery Weighting:
Eligible submissions will enter a weighted lottery to allocate funding to a portion of the eligible submissions. This is a pilot of this funding scheme, so SIPS reserves the right to make changes to the evaluation process during the pilot if unforeseen issues arise. This approach aims to promote equitable access to funding. If any changes to the evaluation process are made, these will be communicated transparently.
Timelines and Fund Return Policy
- Following notifications of provisional funding from SIPS, awardees must submit a full Stage 1 registered report to PCI-RR within six weeks.
- Following each round of review at PCI-RR, awardees will have four weeks to submit their revisions.
- SIPS will disburse the funds only after confirmation of active SIPS membership AND receiving of IPA from PCI-RR.
- If the project is not completed, or funds remain unused, awardees must return the remaining funds within 12 months of the award date unless an extension is approved. Failure to return unused funds or comply with deadlines may affect eligibility for future funding.
- Awardees are required to submit expense receipts detailing fund usage at the conclusion of their project
For the Stage 1 Registered Report, any subsequent revisions, and completion of the project, extensions may be granted upon formal request before the deadline.
AWARD INFORMATION
The application process will combine funding review by SIPS with peer review by PCI-RR.
Contributors may request up to $2,000 USD. SIPS intends to commit $10,000 USD total. PCI-RR offers several APC-free routes to publication, either in one of the PCI-RR-friendly journals that have no APCs or APC waivers (see above).
Funds cannot be used to pay for:
- Any journal publication fees (including APCs)
- Salary support for personnel
- 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).
The lead contributor must commit to carrying out the proposed research. If contributors no longer plan to conduct the research, they must return the funds within 12 months of the award date unless an extension is formally requested and approved. If the project is not completed by the deadline outlined in the original information submitted to SIPS, an explanation and revised deadline must be provided.
HOW TO APPLY
- Prepare your Stage 1 snapshot using the PCI-RR template
- Submit the snapshot and proposed budget via the SIPS application form by August 1st
- If deemed eligible, your application will enter the weighted lottery for funding allocation
QUESTIONS AND SPONSORSHIP
Questions? Please email sips@improvingpsych.org