Reporting requirements and publications

Reporting through Researchfish

Grant holders should report on the outputs and outcomes of the research we have funded on a regular basis, including after the lifetime of the award. In line with UKRI, we use Researchfish to collect this information, including an annual mandatory submission period.

We publish an annual summary of the outputs and outcomes as reported by our grant holders through Researchfish.

Using researchfish	Details
Why?	To showcase your impacts and achievements To identify how we can use our expertise and networks to help maximise your impacts - both scientific and 3Rs To answer parliamentary questions and to support funding bids for investment in the NC3Rs
What?	Common outcomes - details of all outputs, outcomes and impacts arising from the grant 3Rs question set - detailing the 3Rs impacts of the grant
When?	Researchfish can be updated all year around Mandatory annual collection period (February to March) for the duration of the grant and up to five years after it has ended
Who?	PI is responsible for the submission, but can give access to other team members to help input information

Log-in details are provided by Researchfish Ltd. Researchers who do not report into Researchfish when requested to do so, or use the system inappropriately, may become ineligible to apply for future NC3Rs funding.

Information in Researchfish should also be updated shortly before the grant is due to end. Failure to update within three months of the grant end date will result in financial and non-financial sanctions.

Previous Researchfish submission period summaries

A summary of outputs and impacts as reported by our grant holders in previous Researchfish submission periods.

Publications and open access publishing

We want to help maximise the impact of your research, including any publications or other material arising from an NC3Rs award. We can only do this with appropriate notice, allowing time to prepare publicity material. Ideally, inform us pre-publication by emailing a PDF copy of your manuscript to enquiries@nc3rs.org.uk.

3Rs impacts

It is a missed opportunity if publications from NC3Rs-funded grants are published without the 3Rs impacts being articulated.

All publications arising from NC3Rs funding should:

Make reference to the 3Rs implications of the research, including in the abstract and the main body of the text
Be reported in accordance with the ARRIVE guidelines, taking into account the specific editorial policies of the journal concerned

3Rs methods

Grant holders must ensure that all outcomes of NC3Rs-funded research including the data, results, final conclusions and any other information relating to the research are published on a freely accessible platform in accordance with the RCUK policy on Open Access.

All grant holders must ensure that the methodologies developed as part of NC3Rs-funded project(s) are published on the NC3Rs gateway or on another freely accessible platform.

Open access

We expect NC3Rs grant holders to disseminate their results by publishing in appropriate scientific journals, which are compliant with the UKRI open access of publications policy. The NC3Rs contribution to Article Processing Charges (APCs) will be paid for via the MRC contribution to the RCUK block grant.

Any publication arising from NC3Rs-funded research should be deposited into Europe PubMed Central at the point of publication or within six months at the latest and included in your Researchfish grant record.

Open data

We follow UKRI policy and support the principles of the Concordat on Open Research Data, which recognises that research data should be made openly available for use by others wherever possible in a manner consistent with relevant legal, ethical, disciplinary and regulatory frameworks and norms, and with due regard to the cost involved.

Guidance text for acknowledging the NC3Rs

'We thank the National Centre for the Replacement, Refinement and Reduction of Animals in Research (NC3Rs) for funding this work ([insert grant number] to [insert author(s) initials]). Article processing charges were paid from the Medical Research Council contribution to the RCUK block grant to [insert name of institution].'