Fig. 1

The trinity review system as one of the various publishing processes. This figure shows the trinity review system as one of the various publication processes and the publication process options available to researchers. A Traditional publishing flows: preregistration by each researcher on a voluntary basis is recommended. B Flow of the typical and current RRs: at Stage 1, a manuscript that describes methods, plans, hypotheses, and so on in detail is peer-reviewed. After in-principle acceptance, researchers begin the experiments or investigations. Then, the Stage 2 manuscript, including results and discussion, is peer-reviewed and published. C The most orthodox flow in the trinity review: an ethics review is conducted at the same time as Stage 1 peer-review for the same manuscript. After in-principle acceptance, a funding review is conducted, and researchers then start experiments or investigations. Finally, the Stage 2 manuscript, including results and discussion, is peer-reviewed and published. D Manuscripts on the trinity review flow, which have some special necessity, are sent to the institute to which authors belong, and are then subjected to a second ethics review. We suppose that the ethics review of the trinity review system is conducted under the code of ethics determined by each journal that approves the trinity review. However, if there is some necessity in terms of ethical considerations that are not covered in the code, the protocol is reviewed along with this flow (e.g., in the medical field, institutional acknowledgement might be necessary if the research uses some invasive methods against humans). Then, researchers start experiments or investigations, and the Stage 2 manuscript will be published after peer-review. E Trinity review flow without a funding review. Researchers who do not need funding for the research but want to use the Stage 1 peer-review with ethics review for the same manuscript will use this system