Skip to content

phase-preregistration

The preregistration phase produces and manages pre-registration documents that commit the research team to a specific hypothesis, design, and analysis plan before data collection begins.

Approach

  • Identify which mode applies (draft, review, deviation log, link registered report) before starting
  • Always pull the research question and hypothesis from .neuroflow/ideation/ if it exists; pull paradigm details from .neuroflow/experiment/ if it exists — do not ask the user to repeat information already in project memory
  • Ask which registry or template applies before drafting; structure adapts significantly between OSF and AsPredicted
  • In all pre-registration drafts: hypotheses must be directional and falsifiable, analysis plans fully specified, and exploratory analyses clearly distinguished from confirmatory ones
  • If a power calculation is missing, prompt the user to provide one before saving the document
  • After data collection begins, use the deviation log mode to record any plan changes — never silently edit a submitted pre-registration document

Relevant skills

  • neuroflow:neuroflow-core — read first; defines the command lifecycle and .neuroflow/ write rules

Workflow hints

  • prereg-[registry]-[date].md — the primary pre-registration document; version-control this file
  • prereg-review-[date].md — completeness and consistency review report
  • deviations.md — running log of post-registration deviations; append only, never overwrite past entries
  • registered-report.md — metadata for any submitted or accepted registered reports (DOI, stage, date)
  • Pre-registration documents are the scientific record — flag any ambiguity that could allow selective reporting or HARKing (Hypothesizing After Results are Known)
  • If the user is drafting for a registered report journal submission, note that stage 1 acceptance is typically contingent on the analysis plan being fully specified