Open Access (OA) refers to the free availability of scholarly and academic output on the internet, at no charge to the reader, with minimal barriers to access and limited restrictions on re-use.
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OA materials are not the same as copyright-free materials.
OA materials are often still under copyright. According to the Budapest Open Access Initiative (BOAI), an essential principle of Open Access is that the sole role of copyright in this domain should be to grant authors control over the integrity of their work and ensure they are properly acknowledged and cited. Creative Commons Licenses (CC) are one of the most common Open Access licenses. They provide a consistent method for everyone, from individual creators to large institutions, to grant the public permission to use their copyrighted creative work. There are six types of licenses and the most permissive type - CC BY is often required by research funders. Open Access licenses distinguish Open Access works from materials that are freely available to read on the internet but lack explicit permissions for reuse, redistribution, modification, or assurances of future Open Access. |
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In the spirit of OA, readers who respect copyright and the law should be allowed not only to read materials but also to reuse them to varying degrees.
The Budapest Open Access Initiative (BOAI) emphasizes on granting readers permission "to read, download, copy, distribute, print, search, or link to the full texts of these articles, crawl them for indexing, pass them as data to software, or use them for any other lawful purpose". A clear Open Access license on a research output, such as a creative commons license helps contribute to the sustainability of this right of the readers. |
Given the nature of Open Access (OA), as previously explained, it provides significant advantages to researchers, readers, and beyond.
"Openness and Collaboration" by psd is licensed under CC BY 2.0.
For Researchers:
Increased Research Impact: OA ensures research is accessible to a global audience, significantly enhancing the discoverability of studies and boosting citations
Faster Dissemination: OA speeds up the sharing of findings, particularly through publishing models that prioritize swift dissemination
Increased efficiencies: Research does not need to be repeated but can be built upon
Improved reproducibility, broader collaboration and advancement of research: Access to studies, data, and methodologies fosters transparency, collaboration, and innovation
Compliance to funder requirements: For the benefits of OA, funders are increasingly mandating that research projects they support to fulfill OA requirements (Read more about this on the section "Funder policies")
For Readers:
Democratization of Knowledge: OA ensures taxpayers who fund research (e.g., through government grants) can access its results freely
Empowerment: Teachers, students, and lifelong learners can engage with cutting-edge studies without financial barriers
For Institutions:
Wider Reach: Universities and organizations can showcase their research output to a broader audience, enhancing their global reputation
Cost Savings: OA reduces the financial burden on institutions caused by expensive journal subscriptions
For Policymakers and Practitioners:
Informed Decision-Making: OA provides access to the latest research, enabling evidence-based policies and practices in areas such as healthcare, education, and environmental management
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Does Open Access compromise quality?
No. The quality of a publication is determined by the editorial standards, peer review, and production processes established by the original journal or publisher, not by the method of access. Prestige, on the other hand, varies across disciplines and even among individual researchers. Nonetheless, many institutions are adopting the principles of the Declaration on Research Assessment (DORA), which prioritize the quality of research itself over the perceived prestige of the publisher or its brand. |
Researchers who receive grants from University Grants Committee (UGC) or Research Grants Council (RGC) should be aware of RGC's Open Access Plan (the Plan). The guiding principles of the Plan is based on rationales and sentiments for open access (OA) RGC gathered through consultations with the research community. There was widespread support for enabling Open Access to peer-reviewed journal articles arising from RGC-funded projects. As a result, a range of initiatives from 2021-2026 were planned and it is crucial for researchers to be prepared for the Plan's developments and implications. Some highlights of these initiatives related to OA publishing are:
In addition, Open Data is also a main focus of the Plan. The RGC took note of a prevailing view that data from specific funding schemes or disciplines should be made available for public use and re-use. The Plan stated that plenty of researchers had not had the chance to acquire training in the essential skills or knowledge required for managing or sharing the data produced by their projects - which is an integral part of OA. As a result, several initiatives in the Plan were set to address this:
More information can be found on the RGC report.
You would notice that the trend of OA is growing rapidly and has significant impact on the research lifecycle and your practice as a researcher. Click on the "In Practice" tab on top of the page to learn more about what you need to know to keep up.
