Publish two distinct findings sections, one for prespecified analyses and one for post hoc exploratory work¶

Strategy · All strategies
Evidence · no claims cited

Description¶

A publication strategy for separating confirmatory from exploratory results: "One publication strategy is to have two distinct findings sections, one for prespecified analyses and one for post hoc, exploratory work (Gehlbach and Robinson, 2018)." The article recommends that the American Psychological Association incorporate this guideline into the next update to the Publication Manual, so readers can identify which analytic strategies were developed before and after data analysis began.

Design Implications¶

Context¶

Requirements¶

• Researchers must track and report the timing of analytic decisions relative to the start of data analysis

Constraints¶

• Current norms in many publications mix preplanned and exploratory results in findings sections with only weak norms for delineation

Target Learners¶

• educational research authors
• journal editors

Target Learning Goals¶

• transparent reporting of the timing of data analytic decisions

Related Strategies¶

• In field studies with fixed timelines, complete data collection first but delay data analysis until Phase I review feedback arrives

Examples¶

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Key Sources¶

• Preregistration and Registered Reports. (2021). https://osf.io/ya594