Scientific Reproducibility Task Forces SOP

The contents of an approved ISEV Standard Operation Procedure (SOP) are provided below for ISEV member information. 

Authors: Rienk Nieuwland, Rossella Crescitelli, Le Thi Nguyet Minh, Ursula Sandau
Authors' Title: Scientific Reproducibility Sub-committee
Purpose: Provide clear guidelines for the structure, roles, responsibilities, and operations of ISEV Scientific Reproducibility (SR) task forces, ensuring consistency, transparency, and inclusivity across all activities.
Revision History: Created/approved 04-2023; updated 10-2025

1. Proposing a new task force:

A new task force may be proposed by completing the official ISEV Scientific Reproducibility Subcommittee (SRS) survey, which is available on the ISEV task force webpage (https://www.isev.org/task-forces).

Survey content

The survey requests information on:

• Topic of the proposed task force.
• Relevance to the ISEV community.
• Proposed chairs: scientific contributions, expertise, and leadership experience.
• Expected outputs: e.g., position papers, guidelines, databases, workshops.
• Timeline for deliverables (typically within 4 years).

Eligibility to propose

A potential chair may submit the survey themselves. Any ISEV member can propose a task force and include a suggested chair or co-chairs in the submission, provided those individuals have confirmed willingness to serve. All proposed chairs must be active ISEV members, established experts on the proposed EV topic, and be willing to dedicate time towards organizing the task force’s activities. Ideally, no more than two experts chair the task force.

Review and approval process

Proposal applications (https://www.isev.org/task-forces) are opened on an annual basis with a submission deadline in October. After which all proposals are reviewed at the first joint meeting of the SRS Chairs and the Science & Journals Committee. Following the discussion, applicants are notified of the outcome by email within approximately four to six weeks of the review meeting. Approved task forces are announced on the ISEV website, shared via ISEV communication channels, and formally introduced during the ISEV Annual Meeting.

2. Task force structure:

Task forces are expert groups established under the ISEV SRS to strengthen the reproducibility of EV research. They contribute to the community by producing products such as position papers, guidelines, minimal reporting standards, databases (e.g., EV-TRACK), workshops, and other resources.

Within each task force, smaller and temporary working groups may be created to deliver specific products or focus on dedicated objectives, advancing the overall progress of the task force. Any task force member may propose (and lead) a working group, and other task force members may join freely based on their interest and expertise. The lifetime of a working group is 3 years, in which a product or objective is expected to be delivered. Multiple working groups may operate simultaneously within a task force, and task force members are encouraged to contribute across more than one working group.

3. Responsibilities of task force chairs:

The task force chairs, with input from task force members, define the overall objective of the task force, propose specific subobjectives and products, as well as support the working groups to deliver those in time. The task force chairs are also responsible for coordinating activities between the working groups, communication with the other task forces, and with the SRS.

The term of the task force chair(s) is limited to 4 years in total, with an evaluation by task force members and SR chairs after 2 years. Evaluation will be based on an evaluation form, which summarizes the annual progress reports, completed activities, and members’ feedback. ISEV encourages task force chairs to identify and mentor their successor(s) at the beginning of year 3. Successors are ideally identified from among the task force working group leaders. The successor task force chair(s) should preferably, if possible, belong to a new and unrelated research group or laboratory, and also a different geographical chapter. Changes in task force chairs are meant to promote fresh ideas and outlooks, and to give in principle all task force members the opportunity to become a (co) leader of a task force. Nomination of new task force chairs must be approved by the SRS chairs.

Responsibilities of task force chairs

• Define strategic objectives.
• Decide initiation and discontinuation of working groups and their activities.
• Coordinate activities between working groups, task forces, and collaborating societies.
• Manage recruitment and equal opportunity/engagement of task force members.
• Coordinate major outputs such as white papers, SOPs, and consensus publications.
• Ensure regular communication with SRS chairs and strategic partners.
• Submit an annual progress report.
• Keep the task force webpage up to date with support from ISEV’s management group.
• Promote and disseminate task force products, for example by representing the task force at international meetings, conferences, and external engagements.

4. Expectations of task force members: 

Each task force consists of ISEV members who are experts on the task force topic. Task force chairs must ensure that there is representation from different ISEV geographical chapters, different research groups/institutions, and gender balance. In addition, also representation from early career researchers is encouraged. Task force members can be recruited through membership surveys and virtual events (with support from ISEV’s management group), literature search, and professional networks.

A task force can accept new members or remove inactive members during the task force lifetime at the discretion of the task force chairs. Inactive members are those who do not attend task force meetings, are generally not responsive, and do not help to achieve its goals. Involvement of ISEV members from the industry sector is supported by the ISEV board, and their involvement should be disclosed on the task force information webpage.

Expectations of task force members

• Attend and actively participate in task force/working group meetings (online).
• Participate in the creation of task force products.
• Maintain scientific rigor and objectivity in all contributions.
• Meet deadlines and communicate promptly about delays or challenges.
• Promote transparent, respectful communication and collaboration.
• Acknowledge contributions appropriately in publications and outputs.

5. Managing a working group

Each working group is co-led by 1 or 2 task force members. Working group leads are responsible for guiding the group's scientific direction, managing workflow, and ensuring the timely delivery of objectives.

Key responsibilities of working group leads

• Organize and chair regular working group meetings (monthly or as needed);
• Define working group-specific goals, deliverables, and milestones in line with task force strategy.
• Assign tasks to members and provide mentorship, particularly for early-career researchers.
• Coordinate the drafting of projects (e.g., publications, SOPs, presentation materials).
• Collaborate with other working group leads to ensure alignment.
• Submit progress updates to the Co-Chairs and contribute to task force progress reports.

Working group members are active contributors to the development and implementation of the task force’s initiatives. Members may come from diverse institutional, geographic, and career backgrounds, and are selected based on expertise and interest in advancing EV research relevant to the task force.

Key responsibilities of working group members

• Participate actively in working group meetings and contribute to scientific discussions.
• Complete assigned tasks and projects in a timely manner (e.g., literature reviews, protocol drafting, data analysis, posters, educational content).
• Assist in inter-laboratory benchmarking efforts or survey distribution.
• Review and provide feedback on drafts, protocols, and deliverables.
• Represent the working group and task force in collaborative initiatives or conferences when requested.

6. Measuring progress and defining outputs

To ensure transparency and accountability, task force chairs must track progress against pre-defined goals and timelines. Progress is measured both at the working group and task force levels.

Annual progress reporting

• Each task force submits an annual progress report to the SRS co-chairs, summarizing:
• Milestones achieved.
• Outputs in preparation or completed.
• Membership activity and engagement.
• Challenges encountered and solutions proposed.

The SRS chairs review reports, and provide constructive feedback and recommendations to ensure progress toward final outputs.

Outputs

Typical outputs include:

• Publications: white papers, position papers, consensus and educational documents, SOPs, or systematic reviews.
• Databases and tools: curated repositories, software, or community databases (e.g., EV-TRACK expansions).
• Educational materials: protocols, training modules, or recorded webinars (e.g., EV Journal Club).
• Community engagement activities: workshops, consensus meetings, or surveys shared through ISEV channels.

Quality assurance

All outputs must undergo internal peer review by the task force and by the SRS co-chairs before submission. When appropriate, outputs will be disseminated through multiple channels (ISEV website, annual meeting, newsletters, webinars) to maximize reach and impact.

7. Discontinuation of a task force

The discontinuation of a task force may occur upon successful completion of objectives, due to evolving scientific priorities or due to inactivity. The decision is formally made by the SRS chairs, with approval from the Science & Journals Committee.

Discontinuation upon completion of outcomes

• A task force is discontinued once its agreed objectives and outputs (e.g., publications, databases, guidelines) have been delivered.
• Chairs prepare a final report summarizing the outcomes, impact, and recommendations for future work.
• Outputs are archived on the ISEV task force webpage, with recognition of member contributions.
• A discontinuation announcement is made at the ISEV Annual Meeting and via ISEV communication channels.

Discontinuation due to evolving scientific priorities

• A task force may also be discontinued if its focus no longer aligns with the current state-of-the-art in EV research.
• The SRS chairs, in consultation with the Science & Journals Committee, will assess alignment based on:
• Overlap with other ongoing ISEV initiatives.
• Shifts in the EV field that render the topic less impactful.
• Chairs of the affected task force will be consulted and may recommend either closure or integration of remaining work into another active or emerging ISEV initiative.

Discontinuation due to inactivity

• A task force may be considered for discontinuation if it demonstrates persistent inactivity, defined as:
• No meetings or outputs over 12 consecutive months.
• Repeated failure to submit annual progress reports.
• Loss of chair leadership without succession planning.
• Persistent lack of engagement from members.
• Prior to closure, SRS co-chairs shall formally notify the task force members and grant a six-month period for remediation that will be documented by submission of 1) task force objectives to be completed in the upcoming six-month period and 2) status report of these objectives at the end of the six-month period.
• If no progress is demonstrated, the task force will be formally closed.

Transition of ongoing work

• In cases where ongoing work remains relevant, but the task force is closing, outputs or unfinished projects may be integrated into a new task force or adopted by another active ISEV initiative (e.g. intersocietal working groups or special interest groups).

Archiving and recognition

• All task force outputs (published and unpublished) are archived on the ISEV platform for transparency and community access.
• Contributions of members are acknowledged in final reports and public communications.

8. Communication with ISEV Members

Surveys

Membership surveys are a widely used tool to gather feedback from the EV community on challenges, needs, or specific topics identified by task forces.

• Development and access: Surveys are developed by task forces, with technical support available through ISEV’s Management Group. Jotform is the designated platform, and previous surveys are stored in the ISEV account for reference. Support from the Management Group can be requested by contacting: [email protected]
• Approval: Before distribution, all surveys must be approved by the SRS co-chairs and the executive chair of the Science & Journals committee.
• Distribution and timeline: The timeline for survey release is determined in consultation with the SRS co-chairs and the executive chair of the Communication committee.
• Use of results: Survey results are shared within the task force and can be used to develop task force products such as guidelines, reports, or consensus documents.

Online events

Task forces may wish to organize online events, such as webinars, member recruitment calls, or thematic workshops to recruit members, share preliminary results, gather feedback, or increase visibility of the task force:

• Notification: Task force chairs should inform the SRS co-chairs and the executive chair of Science & Journals committee prior to planning an event.
• Support: Technical and administrative support (e.g., scheduling, platform access, promotion) will be provided by ISEV’s Management Group.

ISEV Annual Meeting

There will be a one to two hour SR session in the regular program dedicated to presenting ongoing task force activities, such as the introduction of new task forces and progress highlights. In addition, task forces are encouraged to organize satellite meetings that are independent from the main program of the annual meeting. These sessions can be used to meet task force members in person, review achievements, discuss next steps, and recruit new members. Furthermore, we strongly encourage joint sessions with other task forces, special interest groups or intersocietal working groups to foster collaboration and knowledge exchange. Proposals for satellite meetings are submitted in response to a survey circulated by the SRS approximately four months prior to ISEV annual meeting. All proposals are reviewed at the first joint meeting of the SRS co-chairs and the Science & Journals Committee. Following discussion, applicants are notified of the outcome by email within approximately four to six weeks of the review meeting.

ISEV Website

Task force webpages are the primary interface between the task force and the wider EV research community. Each task force webpage must include:

• Title and scope of the task force.
• Current chair(s) and working group leads.
• List of active members.
• Objectives and expected outputs.
• Updates on progress (at least annually).
• Links to key outputs (e.g., publications, protocols, databases).

Updates should be submitted to ISEV’s Management Group via [email protected]
After task force closure, webpages and outputs are archived for transparency and continued community access.

Document repository

ISEV will maintain a secure online repository (SR folder) where all documents related to task forces (e.g., meeting minutes, drafts, survey data) are stored. Access is provided to task force chairs, SRS co-chairs and Science and Journals committee to ensure continuity and transparency.

9. Support of task forces by SRS

Key responsibilities of SRS co-chairs

• Guidance on task force activities, including surveys and products such as manuscripts, and coordination between task forces and their activities.
• Technical assistance and coordination tools.
• Financial support: ISEV scientific reproducibility grants (detailed in section 10).
• Communication with ISEV members.
• Support in distributing and promoting the task force products.
• Support in organizing task force virtual events.
• Webpage support, updating online folder for all task force-related documents.

10. Support by ISEV scientific reproducibility grants

ISEV aims to improve reproducibility of EV research by funding projects aimed to promote scientific reproducibility efforts of ISEV task forces, special interest groups and inter-societal working groups. Collaborative projects between task forces, special interest groups, or inter-societal working groups are encouraged and may be also considered for the grant support.

ISEV aims to support as many competitive projects as possible, within the yearly ISEV budget. ISEV SR grants may be allocated to pay for direct costs (e.g. shipping and related consumable costs for inter-laboratory studies), but do not cover salaries, indirect costs or travel costs. Applicants must be a) ISEV members, and b) active members of a task force, special interest group or an inter-societal working group.

Applications can be submitted through the SurveyMonkey link at the ISEV task force webpage (https://www.isev.org/task-forces) which is opened for applications on an annual basis with a submission deadline in November. Project proposals will be reviewed by the ISEV SR grant committee, consisting of the ISEV SRS co-chairs, one Science & Journals committee member, and two independent EV experts. Following discussion, applicants are notified of the outcome by email within approximately four to six weeks. Awardees will be announced during the General Assembly at the annual ISEV meeting.

ISEV expects that the funding is acknowledged in scientific outreach as publications, web sites and presentations, and that results will be presented within two years at the annual ISEV meeting.

11. Belonging, respect, and fairness

The ISEV leadership, SRS and associated task forces are committed to fostering an inclusive, respectful, and scientifically diverse environment that promotes collaboration across disciplines, regions, and identities. While the primary mission of a task force is technical and scientific in nature, we recognize that the strength of our work relies on broad participation from researchers of diverse backgrounds and perspectives.

Objectives

• Encourage participation from a wide range of geographic, institutional, and demographic backgrounds.
• Ensure equitable access to task force activities, resources, and leadership opportunities.
• Promote representation of early career researchers, underrepresented groups, and international contributors across all working groups.
• Cultivate a culture of mutual respect, scientific curiosity, and collegiality.

Implementation practices

• Task force leadership and working group chairs are encouraged to actively invite members from underrepresented regions and institutions.
• Educational and collaborative resources will be made accessible across multiple time zones and platforms when feasible.
• All task force events and materials will strive to be inclusive in language, design, and content accessibility.
• All members are encouraged to voice contributions, concerns, and suggestions in a respectful and constructive manner.

12. Professional communication standards

As a collaborative, multidisciplinary effort, the ISEV task forces value professionalism, transparency, and clear communication. All members are expected to engage constructively and represent the task force and its mission with integrity.

Communication principles

• Respect: All interactions, verbal, written, and virtual, should reflect professional courtesy and scientific respect.
• Clarity and transparency: Working group discussions, data sharing, and decision-making should be conducted with openness and clear documentation.
• Timeliness: responding to communications, completing assigned tasks, and contributing to group deliverables in a timely manner is essential to the group’s success.
• Constructive dialogue: Feedback and critiques should be delivered respectfully and focused on improving quality, reproducibility, or rigor, not personal attributes.
• Acknowledgment of contribution: Task force reports, SOPs, publications, and presentations should appropriately recognize all contributors, following authorship standards, such as, for example, the ICMJE recommendations (https://www.icmje.org/recommendations).

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