title: Protocol for a retrospective, controlled cohort study of the impact of a change in Nature journals' editorial policy for life sciences research on the completeness of reporting study design and execution.
abstract: In recent years there has been increasing concern about the rigor of laboratory research. Here we present the protocol for a study comparing the completeness of reporting of in vivo and in vitro research carried in Nature Publication Group journals before and after the introduction of a change in editorial policy (the introduction of a set of guidelines for reporting); and in similar research published in other journals in the same periods.
authors.affiliation: Centre for Clinical Brain Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, Scotland, UK.
authors.forename: Fala
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Cramond
authors.affiliation: Centre for Clinical Brain Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, Scotland, UK.
authors.forename: Cadi
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Irvine
authors.affiliation: Centre for Clinical Brain Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, Scotland, UK.
authors.forename: Jing
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Liao
authors.affiliation: School of Medicine, University of Tasmania, Hobart, TAS Australia.
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Howells
authors.affiliation: Centre for Clinical Brain Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, Scotland, UK.
authors.forename: Emily
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Sena
authors.affiliation: Centre for Clinical Brain Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, Scotland, UK.
authors.forename: Gillian
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Currie
authors.affiliation: Centre for Clinical Brain Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, Scotland, UK.
authors.forename: Malcolm
authors.identifier: 0000-0001-9187-9839
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Macleod
keywords: Methodological quality; Reporting; Reporting guidelines; Risk of bias; Study design