Open Science

In February 2017, the Department's Open Science Working Group was founded, which is open to all members of the Department and students. At the suggestion of the working group, the Department of Psychology has clearly positioned itself and decided at the department meeting:

"The Department of Psychology is committed to transparency and intersubjective verifiability as well as an ethically sound Principles based scientific attitude as fundamentals of scientific work at the Department of Psychology of the University of to Köln and orientates itself thereby at the general recommendations of the professional ethical guidelines of the DGPs."

The Open-Science-AG has, building on the ethical guidelines of the DGPs, some recommendations.

It has also set itself the task of promoting the implementation of these recommendations in the Department through a series of measures and establishing them more strongly in teaching and research.

Recommendations:

1. In the light of an ethically based based scientific attitude is recommended:
• an open and objective debate about methodological strengths and weaknesses of research work, and üabout the (limits of) theoretical interpretability of research results, which in particular also includes the Admission of errors value is appreciated
• a promotion of the consideration of Counterarguments and criticism already in the research process as well as the open documentation through intensified cooperation between scientists in joint research projects
• an open exchange and sharing of any kind of products of the research process with the goal of efficient Use of Public Resources
2. The scientific method is characterized by intersubjective verifiability. One Research process is therefore scientific only to the extent, how he could such a verifiability and open criticism guarantees. Necessary basis of the scientific method, transparency at all levels of the research process. All research projects will therefore recommended:
• Preregistration: the public or verifiable definition of the objectives and hypotheses, the methods and the planned evaluation of investigations prior to data collection (with the aim of intersubjective a-priori and a-priority distinction between the post-hoc hypotheses).
• Publication of raw data: the open Provision of the collected data to a maximum extent possible early date in a public repository and in compliance with data protection laws (see DGPs recommendation for Dealing with research data)
• Open provision of materials used for Carrying out and/or evaluating the examination (or replication) are required
• Reproducible evaluation: Application comprehensible procedures in data evaluation and Report generation
• Resultindependent reporting all research results in an appropriate form and with the as large a range and availability as possible

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Measures:

1. Formulate standards for research projects and use them in integrate the teaching

   On the implementation of transparent research practices should set general standards for research projects which, according to the work in the Department, can be should be based on possibility. Concrete measures to ensure a transparent research process, such as e.g. separation of explorative and confirmatory findings, Präregistration, informative study design (e.g. sample size), replication, comprehensive Publication of research material, data and information -analysis scripts, or the free availability of articles in Form of Open Access publications or preprints should be available as Encouraging a continuous improvement of scientific knowledge of working. The developed standards should and, in addition, from the very beginning, it is possible to enter into the Find apprenticeship (Bsc., Msc., PhD) and according to possibility implemented at all levels of scientific education will be. The aim is to develop transparent research practices as standard and are used in supervised scientific and technical Work (e.g. Experimental Practical Course, empirical final theses) will be applied as standard.

2. Further and continuing education üabout current developments and new methods; provision of materials for Open Science Topics

   The use of transparent research practices in own research projects and their mediation to the scientific and scholarly community. Young people are to be supported by further education and training offers. for DP members. As a basis for continuing education, curricula are to be developed into new develop research methods and transparent practices that are aimed at all levels (students, doctoral students, postdocs, etc.). and professors). A supporting collection of Materials for independent further training über to develop and make available transparent practices must be placed. The junior scientists shall be scientific career strategies under Consideration of aspects of the incentive structure and the scientific integrity.

3. Considering open-science criteria in the case of all personnel decisions (in particular Appeals committees)

   The aim is to recruit scientists and to to promote the transparent and reproducible research and development of and we're not the only ones doing that. The extent to which applicants are able to achieve these goals in the past, or in the future, we have not been able to is an important criterion for the development of the selection decision.

4. Establishing or strengthening an open Debate culture (in particular, the admission of Information gaps and errors facilitated)

   A transparent research process guarantees intersubjective checkability and promotes the self-correction aimed at in the scientific process (i.e. the discovery of methodological and theoretical errors, and their correction in the scientific literature). A necessary prerequisite for this is an open inclusive debating culture, in which a critical questioning of theory and methodology an enhanced and protected part of the research process and an open culture of error, which makes it possible to to the individual scientist, to acknowledge information gaps and mistakes and to without fearing a reputational damage. On constructive handling of criticism, as well as the disclosure and Correction of errors should therefore be used as a contribution to science and knowledge gain are valued and encouraged. The DP therefore understands an open culture of debate and error as an Core component of the scientific process. They should therefore be own and supervised research work, in internal and external öpublic scientific debates, as well as in teaching be established. Specifically, lectures on this subject, for example, can be held and discussions about concrete mistakes in one's own or in other people's the research work of others (and how to deal with them) can be used.

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