Examples
Worked examples
- Is an instance
A Nature Methods paper introducing a new single-cell sequencing protocol with benchmarking against existing techniques
Counter-examples
Looks similar, but isn't
- Not an instance
A research article that applies an existing method is not a methods paper (it is original research using that method)
Editorial commentary
Methods papers differ from protocol papers in focusing on methodological innovation or refinement (the method itself is the contribution) rather than on documenting a specific planned study. Nature Methods, Methods in Ecology and Evolution, and similar venues are dedicated outlets.
References
- Nature Methods editorial scope
- BMJ Methods reporting guidance
Also known as
Methodology paper · Technique paper
Machine-readable encodings
Use in your systems
xml
<role vocab="credit"
vocab-identifier="https://casrai.org/dictionary/"
vocab-term="Methods paper"
vocab-term-identifier="https://casrai.org/dictionary/term/methods-paper" />json
{
"@context": "https://schema.org",
"@type": "DefinedTerm",
"name": "Methods paper",
"identifier": "https://casrai.org/dictionary/term/methods-paper",
"description": "A peer-reviewed publication whose primary subject is a research methodology — a new analytic technique, experimental procedure, instrumentation approach, or computational method — described in sufficient detail for independent reuse, sometimes with worked examples.",
"inDefinedTermSet": "https://casrai.org/dictionary/domain/research-outputs-expanded/",
"url": "https://casrai.org/dictionary/term/methods-paper",
"sameAs": [
"Methodology paper",
"Technique paper"
],
"license": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/"
}
