What is Open Research

Open research (OR) describes a range of processes and practices that aim to improve the reach, reproducibility, and rigour of research. These processes and practices differ according to discipline and can fall under the broad areas of open access (OA), open educational resources (OERs), - and open data, among others. 

OR practices have the power to unlock both scholarly and non-scholarly research impact. While OA provides a good foundation for impact by removing access barriers to research, OR elaborates on this concept by applying open principles to the whole research lifecycle. Below are some examples of what OR might look like at different points in the research lifecycle (note: these will differ between disciplines and methodologies): 

OR principles are best thought about early in the research planning process, so that appropriate consideration can be given to the specific cultural, ethical and legal facets of the project. It’s important to note that OR does not advocate for everything to be made open. Rather, it prompts researchers to consider the goals of their research and make their work as open as possible, and as closed as necessary.