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It should be stressed however that most authors do not publish their protocols for "impact" or citations, rather to document their ideas to how to design experiments, to document their successful grant proposals, or to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
Scoping Review Protocols

Globally, researchers have documented an emergence of public health approaches within palliative care, leading to the development of compassionate communities, a movement that seeks to build community capacity to support individuals at the end of life and those affected by death and loss. Compassionate communities emphasize a social model of care that complements formal palliative services by reducing suffering, enhancing well-being, and empowering community members through collective action. The Compassionate City Charter broadens this scope to include civic institutions, outlining recommendations for adoption within workplaces and educational settings. However, empirical evidence examining the adoption of compassionate practices within workplace contexts remains limited.

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

Depression and anxiety frequently emerge during late adolescence and young adulthood; however, many conventional and app-based interventions struggle to sustain engagement. Virtual reality (VR) exergaming, music-based activities, and social interaction each show promise for supporting young people’s mental health, but their combined therapeutic value remains insufficiently tested.

Article Thumbnail
Scoping Review Protocols

Nonprofit organizations that serve the pediatric oncology community play a crucial role in disseminating quality information that can inform and support people living with childhood cancer, those that work in the field, and others who make key decisions or policies. These registered organizations can be challenging to locate, as the internet is flux with information and resources of varying quality, misinformation, and disinformation. There remains limited understanding of the knowledge mobilization landscape of these organizations in Canada.

Article Thumbnail
Systematic Review Protocols

Breast cancer is one of the most prevalent cancers worldwide, with a 5-year survival rate exceeding 90%. Despite advances in treatment, survivors frequently experience persistent cancer- and treatment-related symptoms that negatively impact their quality of life. Body-oriented interventions (BOIs) have demonstrated effectiveness in symptom management; however, systematic reviews focused exclusively on BOIs for women who survived breast cancer (WSBC) remain limited. This systematic review protocol outlines the methodology for evaluating the scientific evidence on the effects of BOIs on cancer- and treatment-related symptoms in WSBC.

Article Thumbnail
NIH funded proposals with peer-review reports (USA)

Globally, approximately 8.6% of people will meet criteria for alcohol use disorder (AUD) in their lifetimes, with 2.2% meeting criteria for AUD in the past 12 months. In the United States, AUD prevalence is even greater, with 13.9% meeting criteria in the past 12 months. Effective treatments for AUD exist, although most people receive help through mutual support groups (ie, Alcoholics Anonymous [AA]). However, AA and other mutual support programs may not be desirable for all individuals, particularly those who do not seek abstinence-based approaches. Treatments that support reductions in drinking have been shown to be as effective as abstinence-based treatments in reducing alcohol-related harms, and may be more appealing to a broader range of people. Mindfulness-based interventions may be particularly effective in supporting long-term recovery, whole-person health, and functioning for those with abstinent and nonabstinent recovery goals.

Article Thumbnail
Systematic Review Protocols

Resting metabolic rate (RMR) prediction equations used today often rely on the consideration of binary sex. Significant intrasex variability and a lack of data on diverse populations raise concerns about these equations’ validity and generalizability. Existing systematic reviews have focused on specific populations like individuals with obesity or athletes, but none have systematically examined the demographic characteristics of participants used to derive these equations. Our central hypothesis is that the accuracy of RMR prediction is influenced by the demographic alignment between the equation’s derivation population and the individual. We present a systematic review protocol to critically evaluate the literature and participant demographic profiles that underpin current RMR prediction equations.

Article Thumbnail
Scoping Review Protocols

With a growing range of treatment options for non–muscle-invasive bladder cancer (NMIBC), the emergence of longitudinal patient-reported quality-of-life data, and an aging population managing the treatment burden of coexisting conditions, there is an increasing need for shared decision-making processes and tools to support urologists and patients in navigating complex treatment decisions. What remains unknown is how shared decision-making is currently incorporated into NMIBC treatment decisions and which factors inform key decisions in NMIBC.

Article Thumbnail
Systematic Review Protocols

Noncommunicable diseases, particularly diabetes, pose a growing global burden, with India disproportionately affected. India also has a rich repository of traditional medical systems—Ayurveda, yoga and naturopathy, Unani, Siddha, Sowa Rigpa, and homeopathy (AYUSH)—collectively governed under the Ministry of Ayush. These systems adopt a personalized and integrative approach to diabetes management, addressing glycemic control alongside metabolic and lifestyle factors. Despite growing use and evidence for AYUSH interventions, standardized evaluation methods remain limited.

Article Thumbnail
Methods and Feasibility Studies

Frontline professionals are routinely exposed to acute and cumulative occupational stressors that are associated with an elevated risk of psychological distress, burnout, and trauma-related difficulties. Digital mental health interventions offer scalable and flexible approaches to supporting psychological well-being in high-demand occupational environments. However, there remains limited empirical evidence regarding the feasibility and cultural adaptation of trauma-informed digital interventions across diverse international contexts.

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

Veterans have an increased risk of developing Alzheimer disease and related dementia (ADRD) due to military exposures such as traumatic brain injury. There is a lack of information on home- and community-based services (HCBS) use among Veterans who served in the post-9/11 era and their caregivers.

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

  •  

  •  
  •