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JMIR Research Protocols

Protocols, grant proposals, registered reports (RR1)

Editor-in-Chief:

Amy Schwartz, MSc, Ph.D., Scientific Editor at JMIR Publications, Ontario, Canada


Impact Factor 1.6 More information about Impact Factor CiteScore 2.8 More information about CiteScore

JMIR Research Protocols is a unique journal indexed in PubMed, PubMed Central (PMC), MEDLINE, Sherpa Romeo, DOAJ, Scopus, Web of Science(WoS)/ESCI, and EBSCO, publishing peer-reviewed, openly accessible research ideas and grant proposals, and study and trial protocols (also referred to as Registered Report Stage 1 papers). 

It should be stressed however that most authors do not publish their protocols for "impact" or citations, rather to document their ideas to how to design experiments, to document their successful grant proposals, or to publish (and maybe brag a little about) their already funded protocols (which do not require additional peer-review). We offer this platform for scientists to publish peer-reviewed protocols for a very low APF, and unfunded protocols for a reasonable fee that includes peer-review. 

While the original focus was on eHealth studies, JRP now publishes protocols and grant proposals in all areas of medicine, and their peer-review reports, if available (preliminary results from pilot studies, early results, and formative research should now be published in JMIR Formative Research).

JRP is fully open access, with full-text articles deposited in PubMed Central.

Why should I publish my protocol? 

  • JRP publishes research protocols, grant proposals, pilot/feasibility studies and early reports of ongoing and planned work that encourages collaboration and early feedback, and reduces duplication of effort.
  • JRP will be a valuable educational resource for researchers who want to learn about current research methodologies and how to write a winning grant proposal.
  • JRP creates an early scientific record for researchers who have developed novel methodologies, software, innovations or elaborate protocols.
  • JRP provides a "dry-run" for peer-review of the final results paper, and allows feedback/critique of the methods, often while they still can be fixed.
  • JRP enhances rigor and demonstrates to reviewers of subsequent results papers that authors followed and adhered to carefully developed and described a-priori methods, rather than fishing for P-values (HARKing).
  • JRP facilitates and guarantees subsequent publication of results demonstrating that the methodology has already been reviewed, and reduces the effort of writing up the results, as the protocol can be easily referenced.
  • JRP is compatible with the concept of "Registered Reports" and since May 2018, published protocols receive an International Registered Report Identifier (What is a Registered Report Identifier?) and acceptance of the subsequent results paper is "in principle" guaranteed in any JMIR journal and partner journals - see What is a Registered Report?. We assign an IRRID (International Registered Report Identifier) to each published protocol, faciliating the linking between protocol and final study, and also indicating that results papers of studies are also "in principle accepted" for subsequent publication in other JMIR journals (or other members of the IRRID Registry Network) as long as authors adhere to their original protocol - regardless of study results (even if they are negative), reducing publication bias in medicine.
  • Authors publishing their protocols in JRP will receive a 20% discount on the article processing fee if they publish their results in another journal of the JMIR journal family (for example, JMIR for e-health studies, i-JMR for others).

Need more reasons? Read the Knowledge Base article on "Why should I publish my protocol/grant proposal"!

The journal is indexed in PubMed, PubMed Central (PMC), MEDLINE, Sherpa Romeo, DOAJ, Scopus, Web of Science(WoS)/ESCI, and EBSCO.

JMIR Research Protocols received a 2025 Impact Factor of 1.6, ranking Q3 in Public, Environmental & Occupational Health and Health Care Sciences & Services. 

JMIR Research Protocols received a Scopus CiteScore of 2.8 (2025), placing it in the 68th percentile (210/669) as a second quartile (Q2) journal in the field of General Medicine.

Recent Articles

Doctor in white coat using computer and mouse at desk
Formative Studies and eHealth/mHealth Development

Type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) in children requires sustained self-management to achieve glycemic targets. Continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) has transformed pediatric diabetes care; yet, adherence to device wear remains inconsistent. In May 2024, Oman launched a national initiative distributing CGMs to children with T1DM across all governorates, creating a real-world opportunity to study adherence determinants and to develop a locally validated AI-assisted predictive tool.

AI-assisted chest X-ray interpretation with Luana software on dual monitors
RCTs - Protocols/Proposals (eHealth)

Artificial intelligence (AI) has the potential to transform chest radiography interpretation by enhancing diagnostic accuracy, identifying subtle findings, reducing errors, and helping prioritize patient care. Although chest radiography remains a cost-effective and widely used imaging tool, its effectiveness is limited by overlapping anatomy and variability in clinical expertise. Integrating AI can help overcome some of these challenges, especially in resource-constrained settings. However, robust validation in real-world clinical contexts is essential before widespread implementation. This study protocol evaluates whether AI assistance improves general practitioners’ ability to detect radiographic findings on chest radiography in adults with respiratory complaints or those undergoing treatment for respiratory diseases compared with unaided interpretation. Potential benefits include increased diagnostic safety, higher physician confidence, more efficient workflows, and expanded access to expert support in underserved areas.

Doctor in scrubs looking at a digital tablet with a graph projected in the air
Non-randomized Protocols and Methods (ehealth)

Head and neck squamous cell carcinomas (HNSCCs) cause considerable morbidity and mortality. Multimodal treatment strategies can cause significant toxicity, and therapy options are limited for recurrent disease. Immunotherapy has emerged as a promising approach. However, patient response variability underscores the need for better predictive markers.

Elderly person holding hands with nurse and walking stick
NIH funded proposals with peer-review reports (USA)

Patients with Alzheimer disease commonly rely on family caregivers for daily functioning. Research shows that relationships between caregivers and persons with memory loss have important effects on the health and well-being of both caregivers and persons with memory loss. However, most studies rely on a single caregiver–person with memory loss dyad as the unit of analysis, thereby neglecting the broader network of caregivers who collectively shape care experiences and outcomes.

Various healthy foods and a blood glucose meter on a wooden table
Systematic Review Protocols

Diabetes mellitus encompasses disorders characterized by hyperglycemia due to pancreatic β-cell dysfunction. Type 2 diabetes (T2D) constitutes over 90% of cases, with a background of genetic, metabolic, and environmental risk factors. Knowing that sex differences impact insulin resistance and glycemic control, this review aims to identify differences in adherence to dietary patterns between women and men with T2D.

Healthcare worker checks blood pressure of an elderly man outdoors.
Non-Randomized Study Protocols and Methods (Non-eHealth)

Zimbabwe currently faces a rapidly escalating burden of noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) concurrently with persistent communicable disease challenges, resulting in profound epidemiological differences between rural and urban populations. To effectively address this evolving epidemiological landscape and guide evidence-based public health interventions, reliable and high-quality longitudinal data are essential for capturing temporal shifts and contextual determinants often overlooked by conventional health information systems.

New York City newsstand selling newspapers, magazines, and snacks.
NHS funded proposals with peer-review reports (UK)

Cigarettes are a global public health concern, as cigarette smoking is the leading cause of death in the United States and throughout most high-income countries. Exposure to tobacco retail has been linked to adverse smoking outcomes, but research using naturalistic and causal approaches to quantify these effects in the real world remains relatively sparse. To address these gaps, this study used geolocation tracking, ecological momentary assessment, and neuroimaging to assess smoking outcomes in daily life and conducted a randomized controlled trial focused on the effects of exposure to tobacco retail.

Man doing cable machine chest press exercise in a gym
RCTs - Protocols/Proposals (non-eHealth)

Kidney transplant recipients present reduced physical function and a high prevalence of cardiometabolic complications, which increase cardiovascular risk and compromise long-term graft outcomes. Resistance training has demonstrated beneficial effects in this population; however, previous interventions have shown heterogeneity in load prescription and have not incorporated objective monitoring of movement velocity. Velocity-based resistance training (VBT) allows precise regulation of exercise intensity and fatigue, potentially improving the safety and individualization of exercise prescription in clinical populations.

Doctor explains female reproductive system anatomy on tablet to patient.
Systematic Review Protocols

Ovarian cancer (OC) is a highly fatal gynecologic malignancy with complex management challenges and limited long-term survival for advanced stages. Large language models (LLMs)—including systems such as GPT-4, Claude, Google Gemini, and others—are emerging artificial intelligence (AI) tools capable of performing health care–related tasks such as diagnostic support, treatment planning, report generation, and patient communication. However, their applications in OC care have not yet been comprehensively assessed.

Diverse group in therapy session discussing issues with support
CIHR funded proposals with peer-review reports (Canada)

Advances in antiretroviral therapy have transformed HIV into a chronic condition, leading to a growing population of adults aged 50 years and older living with HIV in Canada and globally. These individuals experience higher rates of multimorbidity, frailty, cognitive changes, and polypharmacy than their HIV-negative peers, and many rely on caregivers for emotional and practical support. Caregiving often occurs within chosen families of partners, friends, and community members, yet these caregivers remain largely unrecognized in policies that prioritize bio-legal family structures. Existing person- and family-centered care (PFCC) models in HIV focus mainly on pediatric and adolescent populations, leaving a critical gap in guidance for older adults and their diverse caregivers.

Scientist uses Flash Dx device for diagnostic testing, touching screen
Proposals (non-eHealth)

The global impact of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) significantly affects low- and middle-income countries (LMIC). Iin Kenya, where access to STI diagnostics is limited, effective diagnostic solutions are critically needed. Nucleic acid amplification tests are considered the laboratory gold standard for detecting pathogens such as and due to their high sensitivity and specificity. However, these methods typically require centralized laboratories, trained personnel, and longer turnaround times. FlashDx is a near–point-of-care molecular diagnostic platform designed to address these challenges by integrating automated sample processing and multiplex pathogen detection within a compact system suitable for decentralized use.

Pregnant woman and time-concentration curve showing drug levels in blood samples
Non-Randomized Study Protocols and Methods (Non-eHealth)

Women are largely underrepresented in clinical trials of antiretroviral therapy, constituting approximately 20% of participants. Trials often exclude pregnant women from participation to minimize fetal risk, and women enrolled in clinical trials who have a positive pregnancy test may be discontinued from the study. This results in an average 7-year lag between the time of drug approval and when dosing information for pregnancy is available. However, there may be low-risk opportunities to obtain dosing information earlier for pregnant women who need treatment with newer medications. We demonstrate this with a clinical trial of doravirine, a Food and Drug Administration (FDA)–approved nonnucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor, designed to assess the pharmacokinetics and dosing strategy for doravirine during pregnancy while maintaining safety for participants.

Preprints Open for Peer Review

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This journal is indexed in

  • PubMed
  • PubMed CentralMEDLINE
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  • ScopusDOAJDOAJ Seal
    Sherpa RomeoEBSCO/EBSCO Essentials

  • Web of Science - ESCI