---
name: aerj-transparency-and-data-policy
description: Use when preparing the transparency, reporting, and data-availability materials for an American Educational Research Journal (AERJ) manuscript. AERJ expects work to meet the AERA Standards for Reporting on Empirical Social Science Research (quantitative + qualitative) and the AERA Code of Ethics expectations on making data available. Prepares the materials; it does not waive requirements.
---

# Transparency & Data Policy (aerj-transparency-and-data-policy)

AERJ is an AERA journal: it expects reporting that is **warranted** and **transparent**, per the **AERA
reporting standards**, and adherence to the **AERA Code of Ethics**, which expects authors to make data
available for reanalysis after publication (within confidentiality and legal limits). Build
transparency in as you write, not after acceptance.

## When to trigger

- Aligning the manuscript with the AERA reporting standards
- Planning data/code availability and documentation
- Human-subjects data that cannot be fully shared (privacy, IRB, provider restrictions)
- A qualitative or mixed-methods study where transparency means more than a dataset

## What to satisfy (verify current wording on the official pages)

1. **Reporting standards.** Meet the **AERA Standards for Reporting on Empirical Social Science
   Research** — adequate evidence (warrant) and explicit logic of inquiry (transparency), for **both
   quantitative and qualitative** work. Humanities-oriented work follows the companion 2009 standards.
2. **Data availability.** Per the AERA Code of Ethics, be prepared to **share data and the basis of
   interpretations** for reanalysis after results are published, subject to participant confidentiality
   and legal/IRB limits. Document provenance and construction.
3. **Quantitative materials.** Data (or access path), code, and documentation sufficient to regenerate
   reported results: master script + README + pinned versions + seeds.
4. **Qualitative transparency.** Make the analytic process inspectable — coding scheme, exemplar
   evidence, audit trail, reflexivity — rather than dumping raw transcripts. QDR supports controlled
   access where raw data are sensitive.

## When data cannot be shared

- **Explain why** (human-subjects confidentiality, IRB constraints, or data-provider restrictions such
  as state SLDS / district agreements).
- Give **access instructions** (application process, provider contact, restricted-use license).
- Where feasible, provide **synthetic or de-identified data** so analysis code can be exercised.

## Build-as-you-go checklist

- [ ] Reporting matches the AERA standard appropriate to the method (quant / qual)
- [ ] **Master script** regenerates every table/figure (quant) or analytic process documented (qual)
- [ ] **README**: provenance, construction, how to reproduce/inspect each exhibit
- [ ] **Seeds** set; software/package **versions pinned**
- [ ] Restricted data: rationale + access path + synthetic/de-identified substitute where feasible
- [ ] IRB/consent and confidentiality protections documented
- [ ] Preregistration / pre-analysis plan linked (anonymized) where applicable

## Anti-patterns

- Treating transparency as a post-acceptance afterthought
- "Data available on request" with no documented process or scope
- Dumping raw qualitative data instead of an inspectable analytic trail
- Claiming restriction without an access path or de-identified substitute
- Undocumented, un-seeded, unpinned code that "works on my machine"

## Output format

```
【Reporting standard met】empirical-social-science (quant/qual)? [Y/N]
【Data availability】shareable / access-path / synthetic? [which]
【Documentation】README + provenance + seeds + pinned versions? [Y/N]
【Qualitative transparency】coding + evidence + audit trail + reflexivity? [Y/N/NA]
【Restricted data】rationale + access + substitute?
【Next】aerj-review-process
```

## Supplementary resources

- [`../../resources/external_tools.md`](../../resources/external_tools.md) — reproducibility tooling, QDR, preregistration registries
- [`../../resources/official-source-map.md`](../../resources/official-source-map.md) — AERA reporting standards + Code of Ethics