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Published Peer-Reviewed Protocols
Research scientists devote countless hours to the development and refinement of procedural methods, or protocols. At PLOS ONE, we believe that your methods deserve more than a footnote. We invite you to submit your protocols for peer review and formal publication in our journal.
Why publish protocols?
Ensure reproducibility by sharing detailed, step-by-step protocols
Take advantage of expert peer review feedback to refine and shape your protocol.
Expand your publication record with a formal peer-reviewed article.
Increase the visibility and discovery of your protocols through indexing and archiving.
Two options to publish
Lab Protocols describe reusable methodologies in all fields of study. They consist of two interlinked components:
- A step-by-step protocol posted to protocols.io, with access to specialized tools for communicating technical details, including reagents, measurements, formulae and dynamic flow charts.
- A peer-reviewed PLOS ONE article contextualizing the protocol, with sections discussing applications, limitations, expected results and sample datasets.
1. Protocol title
2. Interactive features
3. Step-by-step instructions with
measurements, reagents, and more
4. Article title
5. Introduction
6. Materials & methods
7. Expected results
Study Protocols
Study Protocols describe detailed plans and proposals for research projects that have not yet generated results. They consist of a single article on PLOS ONE that can be referenced in future papers. Already common in healthcare studies, sharing a study’s design and analysis plan before the research is carried out credits researchers and improves transparency.
Learn more about published protocols
Why researchers love protocols
