ARRIVE 2.0 Checklist: Fillable Word Template
Work through the ARRIVE Essential 10, the minimum every animal research paper should report, and the Recommended Set. Mark each item as reported or not applicable, note where it appears in your manuscript, and download the completed checklist as a Word file. Your answers are saved in this browser only.
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ARRIVE Essential 10
- 1a
Study design
For each experiment, provide brief details of study design including: The groups being compared, including control groups. If no control group has been used, the rationale should be stated.
- 1b
Study design
For each experiment, provide brief details of study design including: The experimental unit (e.g., a single animal, litter, or cage of animals).
- 2a
Sample size
Specify the exact number of experimental units allocated to each group, and the total number in each experiment. Also indicate the total number of animals used.
- 2b
Sample size
Explain how the sample size was decided. Provide details of any a priori sample size calculation, if done.
- 3a
Inclusion and exclusion criteria
Describe any criteria used for including and excluding animals (or experimental units) during the experiment, and data points during the analysis. Specify if these criteria were established a priori. If no criteria were set, state this explicitly.
- 3b
Inclusion and exclusion criteria
For each experimental group, report any animals, experimental units, or data points not included in the analysis and explain why. If there were no exclusions, state so.
- 3c
Inclusion and exclusion criteria
For each analysis, report the exact value of n in each experimental group.
- 4a
Randomisation
State whether randomisation was used to allocate experimental units to control and treatment groups. If done, provide the method used to generate the randomisation sequence.
- 4b
Randomisation
Describe the strategy used to minimise potential confounders such as the order of treatments and measurements, or animal/cage location. If confounders were not controlled, state this explicitly.
- 5
Blinding
Describe who was aware of the group allocation at the different stages of the experiment (during the allocation, the conduct of the experiment, the outcome assessment, and the data analysis).
- 6a
Outcome measures
Clearly define all outcome measures assessed (e.g., cell death, molecular markers, or behavioural changes).
- 6b
Outcome measures
For hypothesis-testing studies, specify the primary outcome measure, i.e., the outcome measure that was used to determine the sample size.
- 7a
Statistical methods
Provide details of the statistical methods used for each analysis, including software used.
- 7b
Statistical methods
Describe any methods used to assess whether the data met the assumptions of the statistical approach, and what was done if the assumptions were not met.
- 8a
Experimental animals
Provide species-appropriate details of the animals used, including species, strain and substrain, sex, age or developmental stage, and, if relevant, weight.
- 8b
Experimental animals
Provide further relevant information on the provenance of animals, health/immune status, genetic modification status, genotype, and any previous procedures.
- 9a
Experimental procedures
For each experimental group, including controls, describe the procedures in enough detail to allow others to replicate them, including: What was done, how it was done, and what was used.
- 9b
Experimental procedures
For each experimental group, including controls, describe the procedures in enough detail to allow others to replicate them, including: When and how often.
- 9c
Experimental procedures
For each experimental group, including controls, describe the procedures in enough detail to allow others to replicate them, including: Where (including detail of any acclimatisation periods).
- 9d
Experimental procedures
For each experimental group, including controls, describe the procedures in enough detail to allow others to replicate them, including: Why (provide rationale for procedures).
- 10a
Results
For each experiment conducted, including independent replications, report: Summary/descriptive statistics for each experimental group, with a measure of variability where applicable (e.g., mean and SD, or median and range).
- 10b
Results
For each experiment conducted, including independent replications, report: If applicable, the effect size with a confidence interval.
Recommended Set
- 11
Abstract
Provide an accurate summary of the research objectives, animal species, strain and sex, key methods, principal findings, and study conclusions.
- 12a
Background
Include sufficient scientific background to understand the rationale and context for the study, and explain the experimental approach.
- 12b
Background
Explain how the animal species and model used address the scientific objectives and, where appropriate, the relevance to human biology.
- 13
Objectives
Clearly describe the research question, research objectives and, where appropriate, specific hypotheses being tested.
- 14
Ethical statement
Provide the name of the ethical review committee or equivalent that has approved the use of animals in this study, and any relevant licence or protocol numbers (if applicable). If ethical approval was not sought or granted, provide a justification.
- 15
Housing and husbandry
Provide details of housing and husbandry conditions, including any environmental enrichment.
- 16a
Animal care and monitoring
Describe any interventions or steps taken in the experimental protocols to reduce pain, suffering, and distress.
- 16b
Animal care and monitoring
Report any expected or unexpected adverse events.
- 16c
Animal care and monitoring
Describe the humane endpoints established for the study, the signs that were monitored, and the frequency of monitoring. If the study did not have humane endpoints, state this.
- 17a
Interpretation/scientific implications
Interpret the results, taking into account the study objectives and hypotheses, current theory, and other relevant studies in the literature.
- 17b
Interpretation/scientific implications
Comment on the study limitations, including potential sources of bias, limitations of the animal model, and imprecision associated with the results.
- 18
Generalisability/translation
Comment on whether, and how, the findings of this study are likely to generalise to other species or experimental conditions, including any relevance to human biology (where appropriate).
- 19
Protocol registration
Provide a statement indicating whether a protocol (including the research question, key design features, and analysis plan) was prepared before the study, and if and where this protocol was registered.
- 20
Data access
Provide a statement describing if and where study data are available.
- 21a
Declaration of interests
Declare any potential conflicts of interest, including financial and nonfinancial. If none exist, this should be stated.
- 21b
Declaration of interests
List all funding sources (including grant identifier) and the role of the funder(s) in the design, analysis, and reporting of the study.
Where an item has a stem followed by sub-items (a, b, c, d), the stem is repeated in each sub-item so that every row can be checked on its own.
Explanations and examples for every item are in the ARRIVE 2.0 explanation and elaboration document and at arriveguidelines.org.
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What the ARRIVE 2.0 checklist covers
ARRIVE, Animal Research: Reporting of In Vivo Experiments, lists the information a paper should include so that others can scrutinise an animal study, judge its rigour and reproduce it. It applies to any area of research using live animals, and is also relevant to field studies and research using animal tissues.
ARRIVE 2.0 was published in PLOS Biology in 2020 and replaced the original 2010 guidelines. For practical advice on randomisation, blinding and sample size in animal studies, read our guide to the ARRIVE 2.0 guidelines.
Essential 10 and Recommended Set
| Set | Items | What to report |
|---|---|---|
| Essential 10 | 1–10 | Study design, sample size, inclusion and exclusion criteria, randomisation, blinding, outcome measures, statistical methods, experimental animals, experimental procedures and results. |
| Recommended Set | 11–21 | Abstract, background, objectives, ethical statement, housing and husbandry, animal care and monitoring, interpretation, generalisability, protocol registration, data access and declaration of interests. |
The Essential 10 is the minimum to report in any animal study, because without it readers cannot assess whether the results are reliable. The Recommended Set adds the context; together they are best practice.
How to complete and submit it
- Report each experiment separately where items ask “for each experiment”, such as study design, sample size and results.
- Give a location for every sub-item, using sections, line numbers or page numbers as the journal asks.
- Say so when something was not done. ARRIVE asks you to state explicitly when there was no randomisation, no blinding or no a priori exclusion criteria, rather than leave it out.
- Justify the sample size (item 2b). Our power analysis calculator gives the number per group for t-tests, ANOVA and proportions.
- Download the Word file and upload it with the manuscript, choosing the full checklist or the Essential 10 as the journal requires.
Frequently asked questions
- What is the ARRIVE 2.0 checklist?
- ARRIVE (Animal Research: Reporting of In Vivo Experiments) is the reporting guideline for research using animals. Version 2.0, published in PLOS Biology in July 2020, has 21 items, 38 with sub-items, split into the ARRIVE Essential 10 and the Recommended Set. It applies to any area of research using live animals.
- What are the ARRIVE Essential 10?
- The basic minimum every animal study manuscript should report, because without it readers cannot judge whether the findings are reliable: study design, sample size, inclusion and exclusion criteria, randomisation, blinding, outcome measures, statistical methods, experimental animals, experimental procedures and results.
- What is the ARRIVE Recommended Set?
- Items 11 to 21, which describe the research context: abstract, background, objectives, ethical statement, housing and husbandry, animal care and monitoring, interpretation, generalisability, protocol registration, data access and declaration of interests. Together with the Essential 10 they represent best reporting practice. Choose “Full checklist” above to include them, or “Essential 10 only” if that is all the journal asks for.
- How do I fill in the ARRIVE checklist?
- For each item, write where your manuscript reports it, for example “Methods, Animals, para 1” or a line number. If an item does not apply, such as a priori sample size calculation in an exploratory study, mark it not applicable and explain why in the location box. Download the Word file and upload it with your manuscript.
- Do journals require the ARRIVE checklist?
- More than a thousand journals across the life sciences endorse ARRIVE, and many ask authors to submit a completed checklist with any study that uses animals. Some journals require the full checklist and others the Essential 10. Check the instructions for authors of your target journal.
- What changed from the original ARRIVE guidelines to ARRIVE 2.0?
- The original guidelines were published in 2010. ARRIVE 2.0 made the items clearer and split them into two prioritised sets, so editors and authors can check the Essential 10 first. New items cover inclusion and exclusion criteria, protocol registration and data access, and an explanation and elaboration document gives the rationale and examples for each item.
- Does ARRIVE replace ethical approval or the 3Rs?
- No. ARRIVE is about reporting. You still need approval from an ethical review body, and item 14 asks you to name it and give any licence or protocol numbers. Reporting housing, husbandry and humane endpoints (items 15 and 16) also shows how the study applied the 3Rs.
- Can I reuse the ARRIVE checklist?
- Yes. The ARRIVE guidelines 2.0 paper was published under the Creative Commons CC0 public domain dedication, so the wording can be reused freely. Please still cite Percie du Sert et al., PLOS Biology 2020;18(7):e3000410.
- Are my answers stored anywhere?
- No. The checklist runs in your browser and nothing is sent to a server. Your answers are kept in this browser’s local storage so they are still there when you come back; use “Clear answers” to remove them.
Sources
- Percie du Sert N, Hurst V, Ahluwalia A, Alam S, Avey MT, Baker M, et al. The ARRIVE guidelines 2.0: updated guidelines for reporting animal research. PLoS Biol 2020;18(7):e3000410. doi:10.1371/journal.pbio.3000410. Published under the CC0 public domain dedication.
- Percie du Sert N, Ahluwalia A, Alam S, et al. Reporting animal research: explanation and elaboration for the ARRIVE guidelines 2.0. PLoS Biol 2020;18(7):e3000411.
- NC3Rs. The ARRIVE guidelines.
- EQUATOR Network. ARRIVE reporting guideline.
Content updated November 15, 2026. This is an independent tool and is not affiliated with the NC3Rs. Check your target journal’s instructions for the form it requires.