SIPS 2026 DC

Research projects often require collaboration between researchers with diverse experiences and expectations, yet early planning for how the collaboration will work is often absent. As strategic decisions emerge over time, collaborators may discover misalignment regarding authorship, research approach, openness, or publication plans, increasing the risk of conflict and inefficiency. Making project plans transparent from the outset can help potential collaborators assess their fit, support clearer decision-making, and promote equitable collaboration.

We have developed a checklist tool where project initiators can indicate their plan for choices typically made during a collaborative research project. This covers decisions around authorship, type of collaboration, research approach, open science, writing, and publication. In this hackathon, participants will receive a brief introduction to the tool and apply it to a current or upcoming project. We will discuss how the checklist can be used across the project lifecycle and invite feedback to inform further development.

Large-scale, community-driven collaborations are increasingly central to psychological science, advancing open scholarship, cross-cultural research, and methodological rigor. Yet discussions often focus on outputs rather than the lived experiences of early-career researchers (ECRs) who sustain these initiatives.

This panel brings together ECRs involved in large collaborative communities to reflect on how they enter, navigate, and grow within these networks. Panelists will discuss day-to-day participation, coordination at scale, and shared decision-making, highlighting both opportunities (e.g., mentorship, skill development, global networks) and challenges (e.g., coordination costs, authorship complexity, time investment).

The discussion will also address career incentives, including balancing collaborative work with traditional academic expectations, recognition and credit, and whether institutions adequately value such contributions. Finally, panelists will consider the future of large-scale collaboration and offer practical advice for ECRs seeking to get involved.