Mary Beth Neff
Sessions
A pilot study typically refers to a smaller-scale, preliminary study conducted to refine methods and procedures ahead of planned data collection. Piloting is common in psychological research, and can significantly influence research outcomes, but little guidance exists on how to design, conduct and report such studies. To find out how to improve transparency of piloting in psychology, we conducted an international survey on piloting practices, attitudes toward reporting pilots, and perceived barriers to doing so across psychological subfields. Based on data from N = 135 researchers, we found that researchers do not consistently report their pilot studies, but they agree on the importance of including basic pilot study information. The survey also highlighted the diversity of piloting practices and their influence on the research process. In the current talk we will present the findings from the survey as well as future avenues to improve transparency of pilot reporting in psychology.
Piloting, the pre-testing of a method ahead of planned data collection, plays a vital role in psychological research. Yet, information about the what, how, and why of pilot studies is rarely included in final publications.
To help motivate a culture where reporting piloting studies is normative and easy, our working group has developed templates for reporting pilot studies. This hackathon aims to bring together researchers from diverse backgrounds and fields to test and refine these templates to ensure they are both useful and usable before promoting widespread use.
The session will begin with a short overview of the template development process. Participants will then engage in ‘user testing’ and apply the templates to their research. We will end with group discussion and feedback on suggested adaptations. Those interested in participating further will also be welcome to join the working group.