The NINDS Office of Research Quality is dedicated to promoting:
- Experimental and analytical rigor
- Measures to reduce bias
- Transparent reporting
- High-quality scientific research
As described in the 2021-2026 NINDS Strategic Plan, NINDS is dedicated to increasing attention to principles of good study design and transparent reporting. These principles are essential to enable the scientific community, as well as the community at large, to assess the value of scientific findings. Please visit the resources referenced below or contact us for more information.
NINDS Applicant Guidelines
NINDS provides guidance to grant applicants on how to improve the quality of NINDS-supported research through rigorous study design and transparent reporting. Visit this guidance page for more information on how to design and report studies so that the scientific community can assess the quality of scientific findings and peer reviewers can advise appropriately on scientific merit.
Rigor Champions
After NINDS workshops held in October 2018 and May 2022 on how to improve scientific practice, NINDS now calls for interested members of the scientific community to identify themselves as champions for scientific rigor and to share best practices. Please visit the Rigor Champions page for more information about how to get involved, including funding opportunities.
Initiative to Improve Training in the Principles of Rigorous Research
NINDS has launched a new initiative to improve training in the principles of rigorous research. Companion funding opportunities are supporting the creation, evaluation, and dissemination of a user-friendly, adaptable, and openly accessible educational resource to promote awareness, understanding, and utilization of the principles of rigorous research. Visit the initiative webpage to learn more, including how to apply for future receipt dates.
- Also see this list of non-NINDS resources that may be potentially helpful for improving awareness and practice of scientific rigor and transparency.
Additional Resources
Contact Information
Shai Silberberg, Ph.D. | Director, Research Quality
SilberbS@ninds.nih.gov
Devon Crawford, Ph.D. | Program Director
devon.crawford@nih.gov
Mariah Hoye, Ph.D. | Project Manager
mariah.hoye@nih.gov
Follow us on Twitter! @NINDS4Rigor
Video Presentations
- Enhancing the Value of Research Findings: Activities at NINDS and Beyond by NINDS ORQ and OTWD staff (NINDS OPEN Stage Webinar Series, August, 2023)
- Addressing Publication Bias in Biomedical Research by Shai Silberberg (NANDS Council Meeting, September, 2022)
- NIH Scientific Rigor and Transparency Requirements by Maripierre Surpris (Stephen I. Katz Early Stage Investigator Research Project Grant Series, March, 2022)
- Scientific Rigor and Transparency by Devon Crawford (NIH Clinical and Translational Research Summer Course, recorded May, 2021)
- Rigor and Transparency in Research by Devon Crawford (NINDS Metabolism-Based Therapies for Epilepsy Workshop, November, 2020)
- When Rigor Goes Wrong by Shai Silberberg (NINDS R25 Grantee Workshop, March, 2018)
- NINDS Historical Perspective on Research Rigor by Shai Silberberg (NIH Workshop on Reproducibility in Cell Culture Studies, October, 2015)
- Improving the Quality of Preclinical Research Through More Rigorous Study Design and Transparent Reporting by Story Landis (NIH ACD Meeting, June, 2013)
NIH Guide Announcements
- Notice of Information: High-Priority Principles of Rigorous Research for the Final Receipt Date of NINDS Materials to Enhance Training in Experimental Rigor (METER) Funding Opportunity (NOT-NS-23-101)
- NINDS Announces Plans to Publish the “NINDS Rigor Champions Prize” Challenge Competition (NOT-NS-23-085)
- NINDS Sustainable Transformation of Institutional Research Rigor (STIRR) (RFA-NS-24-020)
- NIH Encourages the Use of the ARRIVE Essential 10 Checklist in all Publications Reporting on the Results of Vertebrate Animal and Cephalopod Research (NOT-OD-23-057)
- Notice of Information: High-Priority Principles of Rigorous Research for NINDS Materials to Enhance Training in Experimental Rigor (METER) Funding Opportunity (RFA-NS-23-011)
- Creating an Educational Nexus for Training in Experimental Rigor (CENTER) (RFA-NS-21-009)
- Materials to Enhance Training in Experimental Rigor (METER) (RFA-NS-21-033)
- NIH and AHRQ Announce Upcoming Changes to Policies, Instructions and Forms for Research Training Grant, Fellowship, and Career Development Award Applications (NOT-OD-20-033)
- NIH & AHRQ Announce Upcoming Updates to Application Instructions and Review Criteria for Research Grant Applications (NOT-OD-18-228)
- Improving the Quality of NINDS-Supported Preclinical and Clinical Research through Rigorous Study Design and Transparent Reporting (NOT-NS-11-023)
Events
- NINDS OPEN Stage Webinar: Enhancing the Value of Research Findings: Activities at NINDS and Beyond (August 1, 2023)
- NINDS Workshop on Catalyzing Communities of Research Rigor Champions (May 23-24, 2022)
- NINDS Workshop: A Visionary Resource for Instilling Fundamental Principles of Rigorous Neuroscience Research (October 22-23, 2018)
- NINDS Workshop: Optimizing the Predictive Value of Preclinical Research (June 20-21, 2012)
Articles and News
Press Releases
- NIH Launches Experimental Science Rigor Initiative (NINDS Press Release, August 4, 2022)
Blog posts and director's messages
- Addressing Rigor in Scientific Studies (NIH Science, Health, and Public Trust Perspectives, August 10, 2023; reposted on NIH Open Mike, August 14, 2023)
- New Activities and Resources for Enhancing Research Quality (NINDS Director's Message, May 26, 2023)
- Take Advantage of Our Many Resources for Enhancing the Rigor of Animal Research (NIH Open Mike, February 10, 2023)
- Good Science is Rigorous Science (NINDS Director's Message, August 9, 2021)
- Resources for Rigorous Research (NIH Open Mike, December 13, 2018)
- Rigorous Resources for Rigorous Research (NIH Open Mike, July 2, 2018)
- Rigor Not Mortis - Strengthening the Quality of Neuroscience Research (NINDS Director's Message, April 5, 2017)
- Scientific Premise in NIH Grant Applications (NIH Open Mike, January 28, 2016)
- Scientific Rigor in NIH Grant Applications (NIH Open Mike, January 28, 2016)
- Updates on Addressing Rigor in Your NIH Applications (NIH Open Mike, January 11, 2016)
- Bolstering Trust in Science through Rigorous Standards (NIH Open Mike, October 30, 2015)
PUBLICATIONS
- From Methods to Monographs: Fostering a Culture of Research Quality by Crawford et al (eNeuro, 2023)
- Framework for Advancing Rigorous Research by Koroshetz et al (eLife, 2020)
- Shake Up Conferences by Silberberg et al (Nature, 2017)
- Accelerating Biomedical Discoveries through Rigor and Transparency by Hewitt et al (ILAR J, 2017)
- Policy: NIH Plans to Enhance Reproducibility by Collins & Tabak (Nature, 2014)
- A Call for Transparent Reporting to Optimize the Predictive Value of Preclinical Research by Landis et al (Nature, 2012)
Related NIH Resources
Research and Grant Funding
- NIH Rigor and Reproducibility
- NIH Applicant Guidelines
- NIH Reviewer Guidelines(pdf, 218 KB)
- Rigor in NIH Animal Research
- Experimental Design Tools and NIH Grant Examples
Training