Direct comparison
Preregistration vs Registered Reports — what is the difference?
Preregistration and Registered Reports both commit researchers to a study plan before results are known, but they work differently. Preregistration time-stamps a plan in a registry; a Registered Report is a journal article format whose methods are peer-reviewed and accepted in principle before data collection.
Side-by-side comparison
| Dimension | Preregistration | Registered Report |
|---|---|---|
| What it is | A time-stamped study plan deposited before data collection | A journal article format with peer review of methods before results |
| Where it lives | A registry (e.g. OSF, AsPredicted) | A participating journal |
| Peer review of plan | No — the plan is registered, not reviewed | Yes — Stage 1 review of introduction and methods |
| Acceptance timing | Not applicable — it is not a submission to a journal | In-principle acceptance granted before results are known |
| Guards against | HARKing and undisclosed analytic flexibility (p-hacking) | The same, plus publication bias against null results |
| Outcome dependence | Publication still depends on later journal decisions | Publication does not depend on whether hypotheses are supported |
| Stages | Single step before data collection | Two stages (Stage 1 methods, Stage 2 results) |
| Promoted by | Center for Open Science (OSF) | Center for Open Science; adopted by many journals |
Common questions
FAQ
Is a Registered Report just a preregistration?+
No — a Registered Report includes preregistration of the plan, but adds peer review of the methods before data collection and an in-principle acceptance to publish regardless of the results. A plain preregistration is a registry entry with no review and no publication commitment.
Does preregistration guarantee publication?+
No. Preregistration time-stamps your plan to distinguish confirmatory from exploratory analyses, but the eventual paper still goes through ordinary peer review and editorial decisions. Only the Registered Report format provides an up-front commitment to publish.
Where can I preregister?+
Common options include the Open Science Framework (OSF), which supports flexible templates, and AsPredicted, which uses a short standard form. Some fields also have dedicated registries (for example, clinical-trial registries).
Going deeper
