Registered Reports in Child Development: Introduction to the Special Section

Registered Reports (RRs) are an emerging format for publishing empirical journal articles in which the decision to publish an article is based on sound conceptualization, methods, and planned analyses rather than the specific nature of the results. This article introduces the Special Section on Registered Reports in Child Development by describing what RRs are and why they are necessary, outlining the thought process that guided the Special Section, describing key thematic insights across the eight articles included in the collection, and providing recommendations for developmental researchers interested in publishing via the RR format. This article also serves as a formal announcement that RRs will be a standard publishing option at Child Development, effective immediately.

Automated summary

Registered Reports (RRs) are a new format for publishing empirical journal articles, where the decision to publish is based on the quality of conceptualization, methods, and planned analyses rather than the specific results. This article introduces the Special Section on Registered Reports in Child Development, explaining what RRs are and why they are important, outlining the thought process behind the Special Section, discussing key themes across the eight articles included in the collection, and announcing that RRs will be a standard publishing option at Child Development.