TOP 2025: build a verifiable research package

Identify the framework

TOP 2025 is a transparency policy framework, not an automatic quality badge. It separates seven research practices from result and computational verification. Journals choose practices and implementation levels rather than adopting identical requirements.

Do not merge the 2015 and 2025 frameworks. Record policy name, version, access date and applicable journal requirements. This guide is an educational interpretation, not an official checklist translation.

Turn levels into evidence

Disclosure states the actual status. Sharing and citation connect readers to an identified, accessible release. Certification requires an independent check; uploading a file is not certification.

Assign an owner and evidence record to each practice. Disclose absent registration. For restricted data, explain the reason, documentation and lawful access procedure; an empty link is not shared data.

Organize seven practices

Create records for study registration, protocol, analysis plan, materials, analysis code, data and reporting. Add identifier, version, rights, access restrictions and manuscript location.

In the teaching case, materials include exercise instructions and instrument specifications. Code needs a clean execution command and expected output. Reporting needs a design-appropriate coverage record.

Check computations and results

Reconcile reported outputs with executable code and permitted inputs. Document release mismatches and manually changed tables. Successful execution is different from scientific model validity.

An authorized colleague follows the README and compares outputs to the manuscript. Do not describe this as completed if it was not done; state access or environment limitations accurately.

Write an actionable statement

Replace “data and code available” with location, release, conditions and limitations. The synthetic examples provided here make no claim about access to an actual study’s data.

Test reviewer access before submission and connect every claim of disclosure, sharing or certification to a specific record.

Completed teaching worksheet

This is a hypothetical teaching case, not observed data, an actual review or a publication acceptance. Numbers illustrate decisions.

Deliverables and completion checks

• Practice-level-evidence-owner matrix.
• Availability statement matching actual access.
• Release checks and truthful verification record.

Version and scope references: Center for Open Science — TOP 2025 · OSF Support — Registration templates