Extensions of open science for applied behavior analysis: Preregistration for single‐case experimental designs
Lock in your single-case plan with the paper’s 12-item checklist to block bias and boost trust.
01Research in Context
What this study did
The authors built a one-page checklist for preregistering single-case studies. Preregistration means you write down your plan before you start collecting data.
The checklist has 12 boxes. They cover things like target behavior, measurement method, and how you will judge if the intervention worked.
What they found
The paper does not test kids. It gives you a tool. Using the tool keeps you honest and cuts hidden bias.
When you check every box, your study is easier to read, replicate, and trust.
How this fits with other research
Branch (2021) reminds us that Sidman’s 1960 rules—steady baselines and within-subject replication—are still the gold standard. Tincani et al. turn those timeless rules into a fill-in form you can submit before the first data point.
Dowdy et al. (2022) show that most ABA graphs are judged by eye, without structured tools. Preregistering your visual-analysis steps ahead of time closes that gap.
Papatola et al. (2016) gave clinicians a five-point checklist to win insurance reviews. Tincani gives researchers a twelve-point checklist to win peer review. Same idea: a short list keeps you from missing key steps.
Why it matters
You can download the checklist today and attach it to your next IRB packet. When reviewers see your plan is locked in, they trust your data more. Students you supervise also learn what a solid single-case study looks like before they collect a single data point.
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02At a glance
03Original abstract
Open science practices are designed to enhance the utility, integrity, and credibility of scientific research. This article highlights how preregistration in open science practice can be leveraged to enhance the rigor and transparency of single-case experimental designs within an applied behavior analysis framework. We provide an overview of the benefits of preregistration including increased transparency, reduced risk of researcher bias, and improved replicability, and we review the specific contexts under which these practices most benefit the proposed framework. We discuss potential concerns with and unique considerations for preregistering experiments that use single-case designs, with practical guidance for researchers who are seeking to preregister their studies. We present a checklist as a tool for researchers in applied behavior analysis to use for preregistration and provide recommendations for our field to strengthen the contingencies for open science practices that include preregistration.
Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 2024 · doi:10.1002/jaba.2909