Those who wish to share research findings effectively will benefit from considering publication and communication of the findings at an early stage.
The Flowchart (PDF, 92 KB) helps you decide on suitable publication channels, while the checklist helps you systematically consider key aspects of publication and communication planning – from sensitive content and disciplinary norms to visibility and scheduling. The aim is not to create a rigid strategy, but rather a thoughtful guide that helps researchers publish their findings effectively and responsibly.
Publication and communication planning
Check maturity
- when are the research results (expected to be) ready for publication?
- which target groups should be reached?
Identify sensitive or restricted content
- patentable results
- personal or confidential data
- proprietary partners
- data ethics restrictions
- legal risks clarified
Use feedback loops
- identify sensitive content in advance and exclude it from feedback
- present interim results in workshops/at conferences, if necessary
- obtain peer reviews or hold lab meetings
Consider negative/non-significant results
- document zero results
- make data/methods available in repository at least
Plan visibility and impact
- consider registered reports or pre-prints for early visibility
- coordinate publication with relevant events (conferences, calls, topic cycles)
- plan communication measures in parallel (press, social media, newsletters)
- use ORCiD / repositories / preprints for discoverability
Observe disciplinary publication standards
- identifiy common formats in the field (journal, preprint, monograph, proceedings)
- research suitable journals
- know review cycles and publication frequencies
- consider alternative forms of publication (science blog, social media, etc.)
Consider career and funding deadlines
- applications / tenure / evaluation dates
- deadlines for funding reports or project completion
- plan publications ahead (peer review often takes 3-12 months)
Check funding and contract conditions
- review Open Access option
- know embargo periods
- take data management plan into account
- review cooperation agreements
Plan the publication of research data
- prepare data (documentation/metadata)
- observe FAIR principles
- clarify licences
- select a suitable repository
- allocate resources/time for publication
- read recommendations from research support
Overall time planning
- define publication milestones (prioritise publications and schedule them)
- plan financial resources for publications and communication
- allow buffer time for peer review and revisions
- assign responsibilities
Glossary
Preprints
Preprints enable research to be made visible at an early stage. They are preliminary versions of scientific articles that have not yet undergone the peer review process. They are published freely on specialised preprint servers and enable a rapid, open exchange of research results. Researchers retain the copyright and can make their work immediately citable.
Advantages:
- Quick visibility: Results are immediately available worldwide – without waiting for the review process.
- Secure priority: A preprint documents ideas and results with a unique "date stamp".
- Open feedback: Preprints enable feedback from a broad scientific community even before a journal conducts a formal review.
- Career advantages: Preprints offer a particular advantage for early-career researchers: they make research activity verifiable and can be included in applications, funding proposals or CVs.
- Alternative or supplement to journals: Even work that is not published in the traditional way can be made visible via preprints.
What should be considered?
- Preprints do not undergo peer review. Their scientific quality must therefore be critically examined.
- Studies with questionable or incomplete content can be disseminated more quickly, which is why it is important to treat them critically and responsibly.
- Not all publishers accept manuscripts that have previously been published as preprints.
Registered Reports
Registered Reports are a publication format in science in which study protocols and research plans are reviewed and accepted prior to data collection. The decision to publish does not depend on the results, but on the quality of the research question and methodology.
- Normally, only "significant" results are published.
- Registered Reports also publish non-significant results.
For which disciplines are Registered Reports particularly suitable?
- Psychology
- Medicine / Clinical Studies
- Social Sciences
- Neuroscience
- Data Science