With funding from the Templeton World Charity foundation, the Center for Open Science (COS) has launched a new initiative in partnership with the Association for the Scientific Study of Consciousness (ASSC), focused on promoting rigor and transparency in consciousness research through the use of Registered Reports. A total of $1.125M USD will be awarded to consciousness researchers who use the Registered Reports process to publish their papers in participating journals.
COS hosted an informational webinar on April 28, 2022 to discuss the initiative, how ASSC is working with COS to expand the Registered Reports format to this research community, what to expect when submitting, timelines, eligibility details, and funding expectations.
Speakers included:
- Lucie Charles, Executive Director of the ASSC, Fellow of the British Academy, University College London, Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience
- Zoltan Dienes, Professor of Psychology, University of Sussex, UK, Registered Reports Editor at Neuroscience of Consciousness
- David Mellor, Director of Policy at the Center for Open Science
Charles kicked things off by discussing the ASSC – an academic society promoting rigorous research toward understanding the nature, function, and underlying mechanisms of consciousness – and their flagship journal Neuroscience of Consciousness. Charles noted how the field of consciousness research has been evolving and that this initiative can further accelerate research in consciousness, encouraging open science behaviors and promoting transparency and rigor in the research through the use of Registered Reports.
Dienes discussed Registered Reports, a publishing format that emphasizes the importance of the research question and the quality of methodology by conducting peer review prior to data collection, and the Registered Reports process at both Neuroscience of Consciousness and Peer Community in Registered Reports (PCI RR).
Dienes noted the PCI RR-friendly journals endorse the PCI RR review criteria and commit to accepting, without further peer-review, manuscripts that achieve a positive final recommendation from PCI RR while also meeting any additional procedural requirements that do not require further scientific evaluation by the journals.
Mellor wrapped-up the webinar by discussing the logistics of applying for funding, including details on the pre-submission form, budgetary expectations, timelines, and expectations around open science requirements. Mellor noted that COS anticipated awarding between 30 and 75 grants, with most awards between $15,000-$20,000 USD. Maximum funding of up to $50,000 USD is available for exceptional submissions.
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