The potential butterfly effect of preregistered peer-reviewed research - The Official PLOS Blog

"Refocusing journal peer review on the study design phase exerts more and greater downstream changes. Peer review that focuses on evaluating significance of the research question, the methods and analytical approach before work begins, has the power to shape stronger, more rigorous and more creative research. Making an editorial decision while results are still unknown minimizes the potential impacts confirmation bias and impact bias, taking science communication back to its roots, with an emphasis on quality, rigor, and a pure intellectual curiosity. As Kiermer explains, “Preregistration and peer review of the study protocol with a journal is a way to tackle publication bias. As long as the protocol is followed, or any deviations explained, it’s a guarantee for the author that the results will be published, even if they don’t confirm their hypothesis.”

In combination, all of these factors contribute to a more complete and efficient scientific record, replete with studies exploring important hypotheses, performed to the very highest technical standards, and free from the distorting influence of impact-chasing, ego, and bias. A scientific record that is both demonstrably trustworthy, and widely trusted. And with that, there is no telling where science might go, or how quickly...."