History of APA’s journal article reporting standards

jars–rec is added to the equator Network. Links to the jars–rec executive summary and table can be found in the “Other” section of the jars–Quantopens in new window and jars–Qual/jars–Mixedopens in new window pages on the equator Network.

The Journal Article Reporting Standards for Race, Ethnicity and Culture Jars–Rec is released in October 2023. The standards, which apply to all types of research and should be used alongside the Jars–Quant, Jars–Qual, and Jars–Mixed, focus on best practices related to the manner in which race, ethnicity, and culture are discussed within scientific manuscripts in psychological science.

The Working Group for Journal Reporting Guidelines for Equity, Diversity, Inclusion, and Justice in Psychological Science convenes in May 2022 to produce new journal article reporting standards that address race and ethnicity. As a result of the 2021 Apology to People of Color for APA’s Role in Promoting, Perpetuating, and Failing to Challenge Racism, Racial Discrimination, and Human Hierarchy in U.S. The APA Board of Scientific Affairs selects ten experts to serve on the working group.

APA Style jars joins the equator (Enhancing QUAlity and Transparency Of health Research) Network, an international initiative that aims to promote accuracy and quality in reporting of research.

• jars–Quant on the equator Networkopens in new window: Journal article reporting standards for quantitative research in psychology: The APA Publications and Communications Board task force report
• JARS–Qual and jars–Mixed on the equator Networkopens in new window: Journal article reporting standards for qualitative primary, qualitative meta-analytic, and mixed methods research in psychology: The APA Publications and Communications Board task force report

APA adapts the 2018 articles “Journal Article Reporting Standards for Quantitative Research in Psychology: The APA Publications and Communications Board Task Force Report” and “Journal Article Reporting Standards for Qualitative Primary, Qualitative Meta-Analytic, and Mixed Methods Research in Psychology: The APA Publications and Communications Board Task Force Report” as a chapter on journal article reporting standards for the seventh edition of the Publication Manual. This chapter provides readers with an introduction to all three sets of reporting standards: quantitative, qualitative, and mixed methods.

APA also updates the APA Style jars website to include a glossary that serves as a supplement to the jars chapter in the Publication Manual, as well as adds a new page on the ethic of transparency in jars.

APA publishes two articles in the January issue of American Psychologist (Vol. 73, No. 1) with new and revised reporting standards. These standards expand on the original quantitative standards from 2008 and mark the first time APA releases standards for qualitative and mixed methods research:.

• Journal Article Reporting Standards for Quantitative Research in Psychology: The APA Publications and Communications Task Force Reportopens in new window
• Journal Article Reporting Standards for Qualitative Primary, Qualitative Meta-Analytic, and Mixed Methods Research in Psychology: The APA Publications and Communications Board Task Force Reportopens in new window

In addition, American Psychologist editor-in-chief, Anne E. Kazak, writes Editorial: Journal Article Reporting Standardsopens in new window to serve as a companion to the two articles.

APA Division 5 (Quantitative and Qualitative Methods) sponsors an APA Style jars symposium (session title: “APA Reporting Standards for Quantitative and Qualitative Research—Increasing Transparency”) at the 2018 APA Convention. The panel includes Heidi M. Levitt, PhD (Chair and participant); Evan Mayo-Wilson, DPhil (Participant); Anne E. Kazak, PhD (Discussant); and Ruthellen Josselson, PhD (Discussant).

APA releases two related books on APA Style jars:

• Reporting Quantitative Research in Psychology: How to Meet APA Style Journal Article Reporting Standards, Second Edition
  By Harris Cooper
  July 2018
  This thoroughly expanded book provides practical guidance for understanding and implementing the journal article reporting standards for quantitative research (jars–Quant) and the meta-analysis reporting standards for quantitative research (mars–Quant).
• Reporting Qualitative Research in Psychology: How to Meet APA Style Journal Article Reporting Standards
  By Heidi M. Levitt
  December 2018
  This book describes how researchers should use the journal article reporting standards for qualitative research (jars–Qual), the journal article reporting standards for mixed methods research (jars–Mixed), and the meta-analysis reporting standards for qualitative research (mars–Qual).

APA Style Central, now called Academic Writer, adds the tutorial “How to Report Scientific Research,” which was based on Harris Cooper’s book Reporting Research in Psychology: How to Meet Journal Article Reporting Standardsopens in new window.

The APA Publications and Communications Board tasks two working groups with revising and expanding the journal article reporting standards for quantitative research and creating a new set of research reporting standards for qualitative and mixed methods research. Members of the working groups represent experts in the fields of psychology (research and clinical), epidemiology, family and brain health, and education.

The APA Publications and Communications Board votes to update and expand APA’s journal article reporting standards and develops two working groups: one to update and expand the existing quantitative reporting standards and another to develop qualitative and mixed methods reporting standards.

APA Books publishes Reporting Research in Psychology: How to Meet Journal Article Reporting Standards by Harris Cooper. The book, intended for students, expanded on the journal article reporting standards presented in the sixth edition of the Publication Manual.

APA adapts the 2008 article “Reporting Standards for Research in Psychology: Why Do We Need Them? What Might They Be?opens in new window” for the 6th edition of the Publication Manual as an appendix.

Journal article reporting standards are approved by the APA Publications and Communications Board in summer 2007 and again in spring 2008. American Psychologist publishes the article “Reporting Standards for Research in Psychology: Why Do We Need Them? What Might They Be?opens in new window” in the December issue (Vol. 63, No. 9). This article focused exclusively on reporting standards for quantitative research.