Social Science Protocols is a new open-access journal platform published by Edinburgh
University Library Open Journals. The official launch of the journal platform is March 2018.
Social Science Protocols is the only platform with a strong focus on publishing study protocols in the social sciences, including the disciplines of archaeology, the arts, communication studies, economics, education, geography, history, law, literature, linguistics, philosophy, politics, psychology, religious studies, sociology and social work.
Study protocols can be for proposed and ongoing studies, and should provide a detailed account of the research hypothesis, rational and methodology of the study. Study protocols that have received funding from a major funding body and ethical approval will be published without peer review. All published study protocols will receive a doi number and appear in academic databases.
Benefits of Publishing Research Protocols
- Ensures transparency and documentation of research processes, such as a study’s plan, research question, methodology and analytic approach to data.
- Benefits the researcher from obtaining critical and constructive feedback on their proposed study through a vigorous peer reviewing process.
- Provides a platform to compare the initial research intent and the actual research outcome.
- Enables the research community to identify studies that are currently being conducted in their research field.
- Reduces duplication bias and encourages collaboration between researchers.
- Benefits researchers who are conducting systematic reviews to source relevant studies that could reduce distortion of evidence from publication bias.
- Improves standards of social science research to develop a strong evidence base and better societal impact.
