Promoting Reusable and Open Methods and Protocols (PRO-MaP): Draft recommendations to improve methodological clarity in life sciences publications

Abstract

Detailed, accessible methods are essential for reproducibility, trust in science and scientific advancement; yet, many studies suggest that the reporting of methodological details in life sciences research publications is often incomplete. This may be due to a lack of incentives or reporting standards, or other cultural or educational factors. Promoting Reusable and Open Methods and Protocols (PRO-MaP) aims to increase and improve the reporting of detailed, reusable and open methods and reusable step-by-step protocols in the life sciences. This initiative began with a workshop convened by the EU Reference Laboratory for alternatives to animal testing (EURL ECVAM) at the European Commission’s Joint Research Centre, which included representatives from various stakeholder groups. Our draft recommendations outline actions that four stakeholder groups, researchers, research institutions and departments, publishers and editors, and funders, can take to achieve these goals. While some recommendations address study design and reporting guidelines, the primary focus is on capturing clear, accurate, methodological detail, e.g. with re-usable step-by-step protocols. We welcome feedback on these draft recommendations from members of each stakeholder group, including experts in improving methodological reporting. The final recommendations will be released after incorporating feedback received during consultation sessions. Once the recommendations are finalized, we hope that organizations and individuals from each stakeholder group will join us in collaboratively working to improve the reporting of detailed methods and reusable step-by-step protocols in the life sciences.

Shortcut citations in the methods section: Frequency, problems, and strategies for responsible reuse

“…Make all methods and protocol publications open access. When publishing paywalled papers, move methods sections in front of the paywall [ 27 ]. Methods and protocol papers are extremely likely to be cited as shortcut citations, and readers need to access these resources to determine how a method was performed.…”

Authorship practices must evolve to support collaboration and open science

“…Ultimately, we need research assessment reform to move beyond recognizing only articles and to value contributions such as data, software, and methodologies as bona fide academic outputs. Journals can support that transition by promoting the consistent use of persistent identifiers and citations for these other research outputs [ 12 – 14 ], and by monitoring their usefulness for the research community. Importantly, some contributions that will enhance the usefulness of these resources, like improving datasets, code packages, and laboratory protocols, occur after publication.…”