= Solution
\b[<Preregistration> creates a time-stamped record of research questions and planned methods before the relevant results are examined.] Specify the design, recruitment and stopping rules, outcome definitions, exclusions, principal tests, model choices and any conditional decision rules. For existing data, disclose prior access and what was already known. A sufficiently precise record helps readers distinguish prior predictions from choices prompted by the results.<Preregistration by Center for Open Science>[Definition; When Can You Preregister?; FAQ on existing data]{ref}
It does not prohibit useful changes or new discoveries: report departures, their timing and reasons, and distinguish <exploratory analysis> from <confirmatory analysis>. A vague or selectively followed registration does not solve selective reporting, and <preregistration> cannot repair a poor measure or inadequate <design of experiments>. A <registered report> adds pre-result peer review and conditional publication acceptance, which are not implied by registration alone.
Back to article page
