Library Services are here to support Cardiff Met in its commitment to increasing the quality, integrity and accessibility of its research by supporting a growing culture and practice of Open Research. Take a look through the information here and get in touch at openresearch@cardiffmet.ac.uk
Open research is based on the principle that knowledge produces the greatest benefit if it is shared as widely as possible.
UNESCO offer the following introduction to Open Research “an inclusive construct that... aims to make multilingual scientific knowledge openly available, accessible and reusable for everyone, to increase…collaborations and sharing of information for the benefits of…society. It comprises all…disciplines and aspects of scholarly practices, including basic and applied sciences, natural and social sciences and humanities.”
Library Services supports open research as part of our values and is a partner in the work plans and actions that sit within the Open Research Policy of Cardiff Met.
We follow the principle (and help support) research that is 'as open as possible and closed as necessary'.
Taking part in Open Research can (and should) take many forms depending on the nature of the research. You can actively consider if you can take part in the early stages of your work or at other points in the research lifecycle.
The most common way to take part in open research is to publish your work on a open access (OA) basis. This allows for unrestricted access to research papers and journals without the need for paywalls or subscription access. This also brings benefits in authors retaining their own copyright and the ability to legally/freely share copies of their work. Library Services has lots of support available for OA publishing.
Open research is now often seen in the wider context of developing a better research culture, increasing transparency/reproducibility and has a firm place within research funders requirements and roles.