Increasing the Credibility of Political Science Research: A Proposal for Journal Reforms

In this white paper, I propose a series of reforms intended to improve the rigor, timeliness, and replicability of published political science research. These changes could be proposed as part of the next solicitation for editors of the American Political Science Review or other disciplinary journals. If implemented, they would make our discipline a leader in publishing practices intended to minimize publication bias, encourage rapid and high-quality reviews, and maximize replicability and fairness to authors. In this way, they could help to enhance the quality and pace of the profession’s scholarly output and improve perceptions of its rigor both within and outside of academia over time, increasing trust in political science findings and building the credibility that is necessary for successful public engagement.