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 1.4 CiteScore 2.4

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). 

In 2024, JMIR Research Protocols received a Journal Impact Factor™ of 1.4 (5-Year Journal Impact Factor™: 1.5) according to the latest release of the Journal Citation Reports™ from Clarivate, 2024. 

With a CiteScore of 2.4, JMIR Research Protocols ranks in the 66th percentile (#211 of 636) as a Q2 journal in the field of General Medicine.

It should be stressed however that most authors do not publish their protocols for "impact" or citations, rather to document their ideas to how to design experiments, to document their successful grant proposals, or to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
RCTs - Protocols/Proposals (non-eHealth)

Chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) is a psychosomatic disorder characterized by persistent fatigue, primarily involving physical and mental exhaustion, with greater emphasis on the latter. This leads to a deterioration in concentration and memory. These symptoms affect cognitive functions, including attention and memory, to varying degrees. Previous research has shown that Tai Chi can help reduce fatigue in individuals with CFS. However, the relationship between alleviating CFS-related fatigue through Tai Chi and its impact on cognitive functions remains unclear. The effects of Tai Chi on cognitive functions in individuals with CFS have not been clinically validated, and its efficacy and safety have yet to be examined through large-scale randomized controlled trials. Therefore, this protocol outlines a pilot randomized, parallel, single-blind clinical trial designed to evaluate the impact of Tai Chi therapy on fatigue and cognitive functions in individuals with CFS, using both subjective and objective assessments.

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

For young people who have experienced homelessness, relative housing stability alone is insufficient to achieve socioeconomic inclusion. There is little peer-reviewed research investigating interventions targeting socioeconomic inclusion outcomes for youth who have experienced homelessness. Our previous community-engaged work signaled that identity capital (purpose, control, self-efficacy, and self-esteem) may mediate socioeconomic inclusion outcomes for youth exiting homelessness. This 12-month pilot randomized controlled trial (RCT) explores whether portable rent subsidies and an intervention targeting identity capital hold promise as a way to facilitate socioeconomic inclusion for youth exiting homelessness and living in market rent housing in Ontario, Canada.

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

Inherited bleeding disorders involve prolonged bleeding due to clotting protein deficiencies, with hemophilia A and B being the most common types. The severity of bleeding in people with hemophilia depends on the deficient factor level. Treatment includes coagulation factor concentrates, nonreplacement preparations, gene therapies, and physiotherapy, whereby bleeding is prevented, symptoms are reduced, and the quality of life is improved. Closed kinetic chain exercises improve joint stability and neuromuscular control by stabilizing the proximal base, making them favored in musculoskeletal rehabilitation. Proprioceptive exercise training improves the sensorimotor system’s adaptability and injury prevention through tailored programs involving progressively complex movements and surfaces.

|
Article Thumbnail
Scoping Review Protocols

In Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), clinical and research investments for oncology screening, diagnosis, and therapy are exceedingly modest, compared to those in higher-income regions. Diseases that are difficult to prevent or treat, such as primary brain and central nervous system (CNS) tumors, are especially challenging in low-resource settings.

|
Article Thumbnail
Scoping Review Protocols

Applied behavior analysis (ABA) is a scientific approach that applies principles of learning and motivation to assess, design, implement, and evaluate social and environmental modifications to produce meaningful changes in human behavior. It has been widely used in various settings, particularly in the treatment of individuals with autism spectrum disorders and other developmental disabilities. Recently, compassion has emerged as a topic of growing scientific interest within ABA. To improve socially relevant behaviors, it is essential to explore how behavior analysts can provide maximum support to clients and promote significant changes through compassionate care. Although compassion skills have been studied by ABA researchers, the literature still presents gaps in understanding how these skills can be effectively integrated into ABA practice.

|
Article Thumbnail
RCTs - Pilots/Feasibility Studies (eHealth)

Probation officers and other professionals who work with youth in the legal system often experience high chronic workplace stress, which can contribute over time to elevations in anxiety, depression, and workplace burnout. Emotion dysregulation appears to function as a common mechanism underlying these elevations, and growing evidence suggests it can be improved with mindfulness meditation. Implemented successfully, app-based meditation programs could provide professionals with real-time tools for mitigating the effects of chronic workplace stress.

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

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) remains the leading cause of death in the United States, and adults aged 40-60 years with specific health conditions are at particularly elevated risk for developing CVD. Physical activity (PA) is a key cardioprotective behavior and many interventions exist to promote PA in this group. Effective promotion requires accurate assessment of PA behavior; as PA is often estimated by averaging across multiple days, a threat to accurate assessment is measurement reactivity, or an atypical increase in PA behavior at the start of measurement periods that may bias conclusions. Evidence for PA measurement reactivity is equivocal, though concern has resulted in recommendations to add or drop PA measurement days from inclusion, which may introduce undue burden on participants. At present, the extent of PA measurement reactivity and the behaviors most likely to be affected (eg, steps vs minutes of exercise) among those at risk for CVD are unclear, as are participant characteristics such as gender and study expectations (eg, intervention vs observation only) that may contribute to differences in these patterns.

|
Article Thumbnail
Non-randomized Protocols and Methods (ehealth)

There is an ongoing syndemic of HIV and sexually transmitted infections (STIs) in the United States, particularly among men who have sex with men (MSM). We have increasingly effective and diverse measures of prevention, including various types of pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) for HIV prevention and doxycycline postexposure prophylaxis (doxyPEP) for STI prevention. As options expand, we need to understand how to use a combination of these strategies and other supports for MSM to best curb the syndemic.

|
Article Thumbnail
Participatory Research Protocols and Proposals

Firefighters are at an increased risk of cancer and other health conditions compared with the general population. However, the specific exposures and mechanisms contributing to these risks are not fully understood. This information is critical to formulate and test protective interventions.

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

Suicidal ideation is increasing among university students. Despite growing demand for services, university counseling centers (UCCs) face limited resources to meet the complex needs of students who are suicidal.

|
Article Thumbnail
Systematic Review Protocols

Virtual rehabilitation, or telerehabilitation (TR), has exponentially evolved in the last few years, gaining particular momentum since the COVID-19 pandemic. In response to a new reality of strict restrictions of physical contact necessitating the shift from in-person health services to tele-health visits, TR has seen widespread adoption. In this context, ensuring ethical and equitable TR services is crucial for establishing sustainable TR models for psychology and neuropsychology into health care systems. This requires complete and consistent guidance for clinicians and patients involved.

|
Article Thumbnail
Scoping Review Protocols

There has been an unprecedented effort to sequence the SARS-CoV-2 virus and examine its molecular evolution. This has been facilitated by the availability of publicly accessible databases, such as the GISAID (Global Initiative on Sharing All Influenza Data) and GenBank, which collectively hold millions of SARS-CoV-2 sequence records. Genomic epidemiology, however, seeks to go beyond phylogenetic (the study of evolutionary relationships among biological entities) analysis by linking genetic information to patient characteristics and disease outcomes, enabling a comprehensive understanding of transmission dynamics and disease impact. While these repositories include fields reflecting patient-related metadata for a given sequence, the inclusion of these demographic and clinical details is scarce. The current understanding of patient-related metadata in published sequencing studies and its quality remains unexplored.

|

Preprints Open for Peer-Review

|

Open Peer Review Period:

-

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

  •  

  •  
  •