Discussion and outlook

With this comprehensive overview of the ten most important steps of a research project and their inherent respective challenges, we present our tool ARIADNE. By introducing ARIADNE to the research community, we provide 1) a step-by-step guide on how to perform a research project, 2) an overview of resources that are useful at the different steps of such a project (with a specific focus on open and reproducible science), and 3) a glossary of most common terms surrounding the research cycle. By focusing on open-access and open-source resources, we level the playing field for researchers from underprivileged countries or institutions. We also facilitate open, fair, and reproducible research in the field of neuroscience, and empower ECRs to master reproducibility and replicability challenges with this living and dynamic open resource platform.

We think that providing an accessible and structured overview of resources with a focus on open science will be of utmost importance to ECRs, particularly since institutions, funding agencies, and other stakeholders are laying more and more weight on efforts in improving scientific quality (see, for instance, the ➜ Declaration on Research Assessment, DORA). Facilitating the integration of open science practices and improving research quality through collections such as ARIADNE will thus be an important contribution to advance the careers of ECRs. We nevertheless hope that our paper and tool can be widely distributed to researchers of all levels starting a new project, but also to supervisors as a guideline or tutorial for their employees. As our resource is “living” and “interactive”, we also actively call experienced researchers from our, but also other, neighboring fields to contribute their own tried-and-tested tools to our database here. There are multiple ways to contribute to the database and tool. First, users can directly submit new resources to be added via a Google Form or a GitHub issue, as this technique has proven useful for earlier versions of this tool (see e.g., here). As we have expected that not all future users are well-versed with GitHub, we have configured our Google Forms such that each submitted form will automatically create a unique issue in the GitHub repository. Once the issue is submitted, the ARIADNE Team will review the entries (e.g., regarding functionality of links and compatibility with the tool’s framework) and, upon approval, integrate them into the relevant subsection. Similarly, software bugs and other issues can be reported directly through GitHub or Google Forms to allow for version tracking.

In addition, the integration of open-source technological innovations, exemplified by the ARIADNE project, marks a pivotal advancement in psychological research methodologies. This initiative is part of a broader movement towards digital solutions that facilitate comprehensive and reproducible science. Notably, the ARTEM-IS project (Agreed Reporting Template for EEG Methodology - International Standard for documenting studies on Event-Related Potentials; Šoškić et al., 2023), with its focus on standardizing the documentation of the EEG analysis pipeline, serves as a prime example of efforts to enhance data accessibility and promote collaborative research (Web App: https://artemis.incf.org/). The principles at the heart of ARIADNE—openness, reproducibility, and collaboration—are echoed in ARTEM-IS’s approach, emphasizing the critical role of standardized practices in advancing the field. Together, ARIADNE contributes to the seamless sharing of resources and guidelines, streamlining research workflows across the globe. Furthermore, these efforts are bolstered by the enthusiastic participation of ECRs and initiatives such as Chinese Open Science Network (COSN; Jin et al., 2023), which amplify the reach and impact of open science tools. This unified approach underscores a commitment to an open and accessible scientific community, demonstrating how technological innovations are instrumental in shaping a future where psychological research is more transparent, efficient, and inclusive.

As a team of ten researchers at different career levels, including PhD students, postdocs, and professors, we bring extensive experience and knowledge in using these resources, many of which are regularly employed in our own work. The resources provided in this manuscript and in ARIADNE serve as curated recommendations based on current research practices. However, it is important for researchers to consider their own preferences and requirements when choosing resources for their experiments. We cannot guarantee the effectiveness, suitability, or long-term availability of any particular resource for a specific research project, but we will regularly update and add resources with a dynamic, quality-driven approach. Researchers are encouraged to exercise their own judgment and discretion when selecting resources and conducting experiments.

We would further like to stress that the present version of the tool is a starting point, which we aim to continuously extend and improve upon. Hence, future versions will, include resources and information regarding supervision and mentoring (Jabre et al., 2021), academia beyond the PhD (postdoc-level: Bourne & Friedberg, 2006; professor-level: Tregoning & McDermott, 2020), lab life (Maestre, 2019), building up collaborations, networking and lab exchanges (Vicens & Bourne, 2007), how to deal with article rejection (Nature Human Behaviour, 2021), as well as time management, progress tracking, and grant writing (Bourne & Chalupa, 2006).

In conclusion, we believe that this resource holds promise to encourage not only early career scholars, but also more senior researchers, delving into the field of open and reproducible science, using our tool as a starting and orientation point. Together, we can greatly alleviate the challenges attached to starting out in science, prevent a constant, frustrating “re-invention of the wheel”, and provide helpful support during all stages of the research cycle – for everyone.