How Openness is Changing Research – The Opportunities of Open Science

In the past, scientific researchers would often play their cards very close to their chest, in fear of having their ideas or theories stolen by others in their field. These days however, more and more researchers are willing to collaborate with others in their field – and this has led to a far more open industry, where research can rapidly evolve thanks to a variety of inputs. In this article, we’ll be getting to grips with how openness within the scientific community can offer greater opportunities for growth and understanding.

Working in a science laboratory – illustrative photo. Image credit: NCI

What is Open Science?

Generally speaking, Open Science is a new trend within the scientific community whereby researchers and specialists work alongside one another to collaborate, share ideas, and offer their unique insights in an effort to evolve our understanding. As a result, technologies can advance more rapidly, newer techniques can be introduced and the human race can move forward toward a better tomorrow.

How Does it Work?

Consider a group of industry experts, specializing in their own scientific knowledge, that is willing to be as open and transparent as possible with their research, projects, and activities. This is Open Science and it’s rapidly becoming an effective way for those in this field to learn more, provide their own opinions, and even help to enhance the way that certain processes are functioning.

The purpose of Open Science isn’t just to share ideas however, it’s also a great way for the scientific community to come together and work as one. In countless situations, a scientist might find themselves hitting a barrier when it comes to their research. A new set of eyes or an entire team willing to collaborate can help to overcome this hurdle and allow the problem to be solved.

It’s like the old saying goes – two heads are better than one.

Platforms that make Open Science Easy

Fortunately for those within the scientific community, there are several platforms available online that act as databases, communication hotspots, and more to make sharing as transparent and self-sufficient as possible. Some of these include:

• Open Access – a unique platform that allows work to be uploaded and then compiled into one large database. This database can then be accessed by other researchers to assist with their own work, or to answer questions that they may have had
• Open Data – another helpful platform that allows work to be taken and re-used as frequently as required; as long as credit is given to the original author. To avoid discrimination between communities, all data is considered free to access and use
• Open Metrics – a very useful tool that helps to reduce the likelihood of bias within the scientific community, and it does this by measuring specific factors such as the h-index, which can lead to the more popular experts being featured and cited, over the up-and-coming researchers who can sometimes be overlooked
• Open Peer Review – a type of peer-to-peer review that allows the scientific community to get on board with a review, whereby they will analyze a piece of work from an author or authors

This ‘open’ approach to the scientific field doesn’t just help by making data easy to access, it also encourages collaboration in an effort to improve the research for everyone involved.