Abstract
Background: Registered Reports are an emerging publication format, which emphasizes methodological rigor over results. The research protocol, including methodology and planned analyses, is peer-reviewed and provisionally accepted before the study is conducted and thus regardless of the results. Integrating this format into education allows one to teach research skills when data collection is infeasible.
Objective: To reflect on the implementation of Registered Reports for replication research in an undergraduate psychology methods course.
Method: A five-week course was conducted where students developed Stage 1 Registered Reports proposing to replicate published findings. Afterwards, the students collectively reflected on the merits of Registered Reports in education through a series of consensus meetings held during a Paper-in-a-Day (PiaD) workshop, which also served as a collaborative writing activity for this paper. PiaD workshops are intensive, collaborative sessions where non-academics work together to conceptualize, draft, and often complete a research paper within a single day.
Results: The students indicated that Registered Reports scaffolded their research skills, enhanced their motivation, and instilled open science values in them. They also reported gaining practical insights into reproducible research practices but worried about the necessary support to continue applying them and expressed concerns about public pre-registration, citing fears of criticism.
Conclusion: Registered Reports are valuable for teaching research methods, particularly in courses where data collection is impractical. However, institutional support and curriculum-wide integration are essential to sustain the benefits they provide.
Teaching Implications: Instructors should leverage the full feedback opportunities of Registered Reports and be mindful of the hidden costs of engaging students in open science practices. PIAD workshops can be explored as standalone educational activities.
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Copyright (c) 2025 Steven Verheyen, Lea Baumann, Timothy Chomicz, Alex Gordzievskaia , Renée Gouw, Florence Jacquorie, Katharina Kappel, Hanna Karasek, Lucie Sophie Kloss, Hannah Klug, Jule Joy Koye, Eva-Lotte Martini, Clara Marie Schaake, Ela Senbak, Jenny X. Shu, Deniz Sidi, Maria Barbara Smorczewska, Marios Srouzi, Yoana Staykova, Júlia Štefunková, Laura-Sophie Teichert, Adarshni Thakoerdin, Fréderique Eva Tienhoven, Claudia Torres Pérez, Minh Tran