Reflections on adapting and promoting transparent and reproducible science practices for researchers engaged in secondary data analyses | Septentrio Conference Series

Abstract:  Researchers motivated to foster a culture valuing reproducibility and transparency in their working environments have, more than ever, a wealth of resources and examples to draw on. Nonetheless, each research context is unique, requiring tailored  resources and approaches. Here, we reflect on this process as carried out by the PsychGen Working Group for Open and Reproducible Science, a team of researchers committed to advancing open and reproducible science at the PsychGen Centre for Genetic Epidemiology and Mental Health, based at the Norwegian Institute of Public Health, since its inception in 2023. The predominant focus of researchers in the PsychGen Centre on secondary data analysis has guided the activities of our working group, leading us to prioritise preregistration (and, in particular, adapting preregistration templates for secondary data analytic contexts), open sharing of analytic code, and open access publication. We provide a narrative overview of the process of adapting resources, building competence, and promoting a cultural shift towards adoption of these practices across an interdisciplinary research group and its wider collaborative network. Notable successes in this process include the widespread adoption, within the group, of a tailored preregistration format for confirmatory secondary data analyses, publication of a first-in-field Registered Report, and improved code sharing practices. However, challenges remain, particularly in areas of open data - given the current data sharing restrictions - and navigation of an ever-changing open access publishing landscape. We conclude by offering insights into our current working practices and plans for the future, hoping to stimulate discussion on the ways in which transparency and reproducibility can be practically promoted ‘on the ground’.