Accessibility settings

JMIR Research Protocols

Protocols, grant proposals, registered reports (RR1)

Editor-in-Chief:

Amy Schwartz, MSc, Ph.D., Scientific Editor at JMIR Publications, Ontario, Canada


Impact Factor 1.5 More information about Impact Factor CiteScore 2.4 More information about CiteScore

JMIR Research Protocols  (JRP, ISSN 1929-0748) is a unique journal indexed in PubMed, PubMed Central (PMC), MEDLINE, Sherpa Romeo, DOAJ, Scopus, Web of Science(WoS)/ESCI, and EBSCO, publishing peer-reviewed, openly accessible research ideas and grant proposals, and study and trial protocols (also referred to as Registered Report Stage 1 papers). 

JMIR Research Protocols received a Journal Impact Factor of 1.5 according to the latest release of the Journal Citation Reports from Clarivate, 2025.

With a CiteScore of 2.4 (2024), JMIR Research Protocols is a Q2 journal in the field of General Medicine, according to Scopus data.

It should be stressed however that most authors do not publish their protocols for "impact" or citations, rather to document their ideas to how to design experiments, to document their successful grant proposals, or to publish (and maybe brag a little about) their already funded protocols (which do not require additional peer-review). We offer this platform for scientists to publish peer-reviewed protocols for a very low APF, and unfunded protocols for a reasonable fee that includes peer-review. 

While the original focus was on eHealth studies, JRP now publishes protocols and grant proposals in all areas of medicine, and their peer-review reports, if available (preliminary results from pilot studies, early results, and formative research should now be published in JMIR Formative Research).

JRP is fully open access, with full-text articles deposited in PubMed Central.

Why should I publish my protocol? 

  • JRP publishes research protocols, grant proposals, pilot/feasibility studies and early reports of ongoing and planned work that encourages collaboration and early feedback, and reduces duplication of effort.
  • JRP will be a valuable educational resource for researchers who want to learn about current research methodologies and how to write a winning grant proposal.
  • JRP creates an early scientific record for researchers who have developed novel methodologies, software, innovations or elaborate protocols.
  • JRP provides a "dry-run" for peer-review of the final results paper, and allows feedback/critique of the methods, often while they still can be fixed.
  • JRP enhances rigor and demonstrates to reviewers of subsequent results papers that authors followed and adhered to carefully developed and described a-priori methods, rather than fishing for P-values (HARKing).
  • JRP facilitates and guarantees subsequent publication of results demonstrating that the methodology has already been reviewed, and reduces the effort of writing up the results, as the protocol can be easily referenced.
  • JRP is compatible with the concept of "Registered Reports" and since May 2018, published protocols receive an International Registered Report Identifier (What is a Registered Report Identifier?) and acceptance of the subsequent results paper is "in principle" guaranteed in any JMIR journal and partner journals - see What is a Registered Report?. We assign an IRRID (International Registered Report Identifier) to each published protocol, faciliating the linking between protocol and final study, and also indicating that results papers of studies are also "in principle accepted" for subsequent publication in other JMIR journals (or other members of the IRRID Registry Network) as long as authors adhere to their original protocol - regardless of study results (even if they are negative), reducing publication bias in medicine.
  • Authors publishing their protocols in JRP will receive a 20% discount on the article processing fee if they publish their results in another journal of the JMIR journal family (for example, JMIR for e-health studies, i-JMR for others).

Need more reasons? Read the Knowledge Base article on "Why should I publish my protocol/grant proposal"!

 

Recent Articles

Article Thumbnail
Formative Studies and eHealth/mHealth Development

Neuromuscular activation disorders are frequently observed in patients with musculoskeletal pain and may contribute to persistent symptoms and delayed functional recovery. Neurocognitive approaches combining mindfulness and motor imagery have been proposed to target central mechanisms involved in motor control and pain modulation. Digital health tools offer an opportunity to standardize and disseminate such interventions in real-world settings.

Article Thumbnail
Participatory Research Protocols and Proposals

Patient and public engagement in research can enhance its quality, ensure the relevance of findings to the public, and make the process more inclusive and democratic. Ensuring meaningful engagement can be challenging and requires careful preparation.

Article Thumbnail
Non-Randomized Study Protocols and Methods (Non-eHealth)

The United States (US) Southeast experiences a disproportionate burden of HIV, compounded by limited access to pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) services due to systemic barriers, such as stigma, medical mistrust, and restrictive pharmacy policies. Collaborative practice agreements (CPAs) between pharmacists and clinicians represent a promising strategy to improve PrEP accessibility through pharmacy-based services.

Article Thumbnail
RCTs - Protocols/Proposals (non-eHealth)

Neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC) is a crucial component of systemic treatment for triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC), serving as an effective means to reduce recurrence rates and improve survival outcomes. It not only maximizes the extent of resectable tumors but also converts inoperable tumors into operable ones. Shen-Ling-Lian-Xia Granules (SLLXG) is an in-house preparation developed by Longhua Hospital, affiliated with Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine. Formulated by Professor Liu Sheng, the fifth-generation inheritor of the Shanghai Gu School of Surgery, based on extensive clinical experience treating breast cancer, this compound has been clinically proven to improve postoperative symptoms in patients with TNBC, enhance immunity, reduce recurrence and metastasis, and prolong disease-free survival. However, clinical evidence regarding its efficacy in enhancing the therapeutic effect of NAC for TNBC remains to be established.

Article Thumbnail
RCTs - Protocols/Proposals (non-eHealth)

The COVID-19 pandemic has caused devastating morbidity and mortality globally, and poses an unprecedented threat to economic growth. The global rollout of vaccines has been met with socioeconomic disparities, impeding the global effort in infection prevention and severity reduction. The development and evaluation of candidate vaccines against COVID-19 that overcome logistical, social, and economic challenges are highly needed. Here, a trial protocol is presented to assess the safety, tolerability, and immunogenicity of the TANCoV-1.3.20 SARS-CoV-2 vaccine among healthy participants who were SARS-CoV-2 negative in Tanzania.

Article Thumbnail
Grant Proposals (funded, non-ehealth)

Maternal and child oral health remains a significant public health concern in India, contributing to early childhood caries, adverse pregnancy outcomes, and long-term health complications. Anganwadi workers (AWWs), under the Integrated Child Development Services Scheme (ICDS), are well positioned to promote preventive oral health behaviors. However, oral health education is not part of their core training. This protocol outlines an implementation research study to develop, deliver, and evaluate a contextualized oral health education training package through AWWs for mother-child dyads in Kochi, Kerala.

Article Thumbnail
RCTs - Protocols/Proposals (funded, already peer-reviewed, eHealth)

Quality care for pediatric type 1 diabetes (T1D) requires frequent, multidisciplinary visits. Technological and clinical innovation have led to changes in T1D management, resulting in increasing data exchange required during these visits. Capturing comprehensive personal health and diabetes-related information discretely and integrating it into the clinical workflow is critical for optimal T1D care but is time-consuming. Time spent on data transfer often results in less time for holistic care and can lead to unmet needs for patients, families, and health care providers, as well as increased time pressures in clinic. To address this, the Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario developed a caregiver proxy-reported questionnaire distributed via the MyChart patient portal, allowing families to input care information ahead of visits with the aim of dedicating more clinic time to personalized care. The launch of this tool, which integrates caregiver-entered information into the physician’s documentation workflow, brings the opportunity to systematically evaluate its impact on care quality and efficiency, with potential implications for broader adoption.

Article Thumbnail
Non-randomized Protocols and Methods (ehealth)

Many adults are insufficiently active, posing a threat to public health. Research shows steep declines in physical activity during the emerging adulthood period. Psychological and socioenvironmental factors have been shown to be independently associated with engaging in physical activity. However, few studies have examined the cross-domain interactions between psychological and socioenvironmental factors on physical activity in real time. Real-time data collection methods can be leveraged alongside traditional nomothetic methods to gain a more comprehensive understanding of how physical activity is affected by dynamic changes to one’s unique psychological and contextual state within a day.

Article Thumbnail
Non-Randomized Study Protocols and Methods (Non-eHealth)

Stroke is a global health problem that often causes physical disability and mental health issues for the survivor. While physical activity (PA) improves outcomes post stroke, it can be challenging to maintain. Barriers to maintaining PA post stroke include the setting of PA, motivation, and impairments from the stroke. There is often a desire to maintain PA after stroke, but effective interventions are currently limited.

Article Thumbnail
RCTs - Protocols/Proposals (non-eHealth)

Obesity is a serious public health issue affecting children in a progressively alarming manner; thus, nutrition education and behavior change interventions during childhood are a priority. Eating and physical activity behaviors are mainly influenced by the environment; therefore, lifestyle changes are often successful when interventions are implemented in places such as the home and school. Schools are fundamental for ensuring the development of students’ personalities, skills, abilities, and long-term behaviors.

Preprints Open for Peer Review

We are working in partnership with

  • Crossref Member
  • Open Access
  • Open Access Scholarly Publishers Association
  •  
  •  
  • TrendMD MemberORCID Member
  •  

This journal is indexed in

  • PubMed
  • PubMed CentralMEDLINE
  •  
  •  
  • DOAJDOAJ Seal
    Sherpa RomeoEBSCO/EBSCO Essentials

  •  
  •  
  • Web of Science - ESCI

  •  

  •  
  •