What is Open Science Anyways?

Open Science is a hot topic right now, but it can be a little confusing as to what it all entails. Broadly speaking, Open Science is about making scientific research transparent and accessible to all. It encourages knowledge to be developed through increased collaboration. More specifically,

“Open Science is the practice of science in such a way that others can collaborate and contribute, where research data, lab notes and other research processes are freely available, under terms that enable reuse, redistribution and reproduction of the research and its underlying data and methods” (FOSTER’s Open Science Definition).

By opening science up to be accessible to all, the rigor, accountability, and reproducibility of research are increased. Open science seeks to improve the inclusivity and sharing of knowledge and based on these principles, it “seeks to change the way research is done, who is involved, and how it is valued” (Open Science Training Handbook). 

This grand goal of Open Science is great and really commendable, but it takes a lot of different steps to get there. So, what is included in Open Science? According to the following taxonomy, there are 10 main facets of Open Science:

Image source: Andrés Mauricio Enciso Betancourt; based on research data (2022)

• Open Access – research publications such as articles and books are accessible online for free with no obstacles to read, use, modify, and share for any purpose. This allows more people to access and engage with knowledge.
• Open Data – data that can be freely accessed, reused, modified, and redistributed. This allows for research verification and reproducibility because more people can use the data for research purposes.
• Open Reproducible Research – research processes such as workflows, lab books, and open code and software are freely available. This allows for researchers to reproduce another’s research by using the same methods.
• Open and Responsible Evaluation of Science – includes open peer review and evaluation and open and responsible metrics. Open peer review and evaluation allows for increased transparency and participation in the processes. Open metrics, such as altmetrics, show engagement with publications outside of the standard metrics, such as the h-index and cite score. 
• Policy, declarations and guidelines of open science – includes policies from the institutional to the governmental level. Open Science policies promote the principles of Open Science at various levels.
• Open Education – primarily Open Education Resources of any medium, including textbooks, educational tools, learning platforms, etc. These allow for the sharing of educational resources and tools used to support learning. 
• Open Innovation – when organizations do not rely solely their own internal knowledge and resources for innovation, but also use external sources. Efforts in open innovation reduce secrecy and siloing and improve development and performance of projects.
• Open Science Infrastructure and Tools – includes collaborative platforms, code repositories, and open laboratories. These can range from specific tools that allow researchers to work together in real time to extensive virtual research environments.
• Citizen Science, open and participative – the involvement of the non-academic public in the process of scientific research. This can improve societal trust in science and allow the public to contribute to creating common goods and shared resources.
• Open Dialogue with other Knowledge Systems –  includes CARE (Collective Benefit, Authority to Control, Responsibility, and Ethics) principle, cultural diversity, and equity. This can allow for a greater understanding of science and its implications by bringing in diverse perspectives and ways of knowing.

Leah DiCiesare, STEM and Open Science Librarian, University of Maryland

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