title: An open science peer review oath.
abstract: One of the foundations of the scientific method is to be able to reproduce experiments and corroborate the results of research that has been done before. However, with the increasing complexities of new technologies and techniques, coupled with the specialisation of experiments, reproducing research findings has become a growing challenge. Clearly, scientific methods must be conveyed succinctly, and with clarity and rigour, in order for research to be reproducible. Here, we propose steps to help increase the transparency of the scientific method and the reproducibility of research results: specifically, we introduce a peer-review oath and accompanying manifesto. These have been designed to offer guidelines to enable reviewers (with the minimum friction or bias) to follow and apply open science principles, and support the ideas of transparency, reproducibility and ultimately greater societal impact. Introducing the oath and manifesto at the stage of peer review will help to check that the research being published includes everything that other researchers would need to successfully repeat the work. Peer review is the lynchpin of the publishing system: encouraging the community to consciously (and conscientiously) uphold these principles should help to improve published papers, increase confidence in the reproducibility of the work and, ultimately, provide strategic benefits to authors and their institutions.
authors: Wellcome Trust - Medical Research Council Cambridge Stem Cell Institute, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, CB2 1QR, UK.
authors: Jelena
authors: J
authors: Aleksic
authors: DNAdigest, Cambridge, UK.
authors: Adrian
authors: A
authors: Alexa
authors: University of Manchester, Manchester, UK.
authors: Teresa K
authors: TK
authors: Attwood
authors: Software Sustainability Institute, Edinburgh, UK.
authors: Neil
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authors: Chue Hong
authors: Science for Life Laboratory, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden.
authors: Martin
authors: M
authors: Dahlö
authors: The Genome Analysis Centre, Norwich Research Park, Norwich, NR4 7UH, UK.
authors: Robert
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authors: Davey
authors: European Molecular Biology Laboratory, Heidelberg, Germany.
authors: Holger
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authors: Dinkel
authors: Core Unit Systems Medicine, University of Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany.
authors: Konrad U
authors: KU
authors: Förstner
authors: DTU Aqua, Technical University of Denmark, Charlottenlund 2920, Denmark.
authors: Ivo
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authors: Grigorov
authors: European Molecular Biology Laboratory, Heidelberg, Germany.
authors: Jean-Karim
authors: JK
authors: Hériché
authors: Open Knowledge Finland - Open Science Work Group, Helsinki, Finland.
authors: Leo
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authors: Lahti
authors: The Sainsbury Laboratory, Norwich Research Park, Norwich, NR4 7UH, UK.
authors: Dan
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authors: MacLean
authors: F1000Research, London, UK.
authors: Michael L
authors: ML
authors: Markie
authors: Department of Zoology, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK.
authors: Jenny
authors: J
authors: Molloy
authors: The Genome Analysis Centre, Norwich Research Park, Norwich, NR4 7UH, UK.
authors: Maria Victoria
authors: MV
authors: Schneider
authors: Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, USA.
authors: Camille
authors: C
authors: Scott
authors: Department of Plant Sciences, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK.
authors: Richard
authors: R
authors: Smith-Unna
authors: School of Biological and Chemical Sciences, Queen Mary University of London, London, UK.
authors: Bruno Miguel
authors: BM
authors: Vieira