Open Research is increasingly central to how we think about research culture at the University of 黑料网吃瓜爆料 鈥 not just as a set of technical practices, but as a reflection of our values as a public institution and our commitment to maximising the impact of research.
This message was reinforced this week in a new , where President and Vice-Chancellor Duncan Ivison spoke about why Open Research matters. As he put it, making our research, ideas, and results openly available is 鈥渞eally powerful鈥 鈥 both in terms of public value and in helping to speed up the journey from discovery to real-world impact.
That institutional commitment provides important context for the work happening across the University through the , now entering its third cohort. Supported through Research England鈥檚 Enhancing Research Culture funding, the Fellowship Programme provides colleagues with dedicated time to focus on projects that embed openness, transparency, and responsibility into everyday research practice.
Crucially, the programme recognises that Open Research often relies on work that sits alongside, or on top of, already demanding roles. By buying out time, the Fellowships aim to make this work visible, valued, and sustainable, while fostering a community of practice that spans disciplines and professional roles.
This year鈥檚 cohort reflects the breadth of what Open Research looks like in practice at the University of 黑料网吃瓜爆料: from improving trust in clinical evidence and advancing FAIR data skills, to recognising new forms of scholarly contribution and strengthening research technical careers.
Ashma Krishan: Supporting reproducible and transparent research workflows
Ashma鈥檚 project focuses on strengthening pre-registration practices in research, particularly within clinical trials. By developing clear guidance and accessible training materials, the project aims to improve understanding of what pre-registration is, what it should include, and how it can be implemented effectively in practice. This work supports greater transparency, rigour, and reproducibility across the research lifecycle.
Danna Gifford: Turning open microbial data into open skills
Danna is addressing a critical skills gap in microbial genomics. While open resources such as offer unprecedented access to genomic data, many researchers lack the computational skills needed to use them reproducibly. Her project will develop an open training course and pilot a summer school for early-career researchers, ensuring that open data is matched by open, reusable skills.
Guilherme Fians: Recognising wiki contributions as co-produced research outputs
Guilherme鈥檚 project challenges traditional notions of academic authorship and research output by focusing on collaborative knowledge production in wiki spaces such as Wikipedia. While wiki content can reach vastly larger audiences than conventional academic publications, it is rarely recognised within existing research assessment and authorship models.
Drawing on his background in digital anthropology, Guilherme will develop a toolkit to support the recognition of wiki-based contributions as legitimate, co-produced research outputs. The project explores how institutions can better value open, collaborative scholarship that emerges beyond traditional academic venues, particularly where knowledge is produced alongside non-academic contributors.
Phil Reed: Advancing digital research technical professional (dRTP) career development
Phil鈥檚 Fellowship focuses on strengthening recognition, career pathways, and skills frameworks for digital research technical professionals, such as research software engineers and data stewards. Working with national and international partners, the project will produce guidance, frameworks, and training resources that support professionalisation and capacity-building at 黑料网吃瓜爆料 and beyond.
Ramiro Bravo: Enhancing collaboration in research projects and data management
Ramiro鈥檚 project aims to improve how research is documented and shared across the Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health. By piloting collaborative models that bring together researchers and Core Facility staff, and by using platforms such as OSF and protocols.io, the project seeks to embed sustainable, transparent documentation practices throughout the research lifecycle.
Zewen Lu: Improving trust in clinical evidence at the point of publication
Zewen鈥檚 project focuses on strengthening transparency and research integrity in clinical trials by developing INSPECT-JR, a structured tool for journal editors and peer reviewers. Building on the INSPECT-SR framework, the project aims to embed responsible, transparent checks earlier in the publication process, helping prevent problematic trials from influencing clinical evidence and decision-making.
Zuzanna Zagrodzka: Research Technical Professionals as catalysts for open research
Zuzanna鈥檚 Fellowship centres on the role of Research Technical Professionals (RTPs) in enabling open and reproducible research. Through surveys and interviews, the project explores how RTPs engage with open research practices, the challenges they face, and the support they need. The work aims to raise the visibility of RTPs and position them as leaders and advocates for open, collaborative research culture.
As the 2026 cohort begins work, these projects collectively reflect a shift towards practical, embedded openness: supporting researchers not just to value open research, but to do it more confidently and sustainably. Updates from the Fellows will be shared throughout the year via the Open Research Digest and Office for Open Research events.
John Hynes, Open Research Librarian, Office for Open Research.
]]>Wellcome (formerly The Wellcome Trust) has renewed its institutional Open Access block grant for 2026. If your work acknowledges funding from Wellcome, you can request funding to publish your research articles Gold Open Access via our . OA publishing for Wellcome-funded monographs is managed directly with the funder 鈥 please see our for more information.
The Library facilitated just over 拢40k of OA payments for Wellcome-funded articles last year. In addition, we made strategic use of the Wellcome block grant to support several initiatives exploring more sustainable options for OA publication, and to increase access to research collections of potential strategic and research importance to the University. These include:
You can find out more about how we seek to support innovation in scholarly publishing and community-led infrastructure via our .
CRUK is in the process of undertaking a review of its current grants expenditure, and has enabled an extension of the current institutional block grant until this review is concluded. If your work acknowledges funding from CRUK, you can request funds to publish articles Gold OA via our
Institutions are awaiting confirmation from UKRI on OA funding provision once the current institutional block grant closes in March 2026. For now, UKRI-funded authors can continue to request funds for Gold OA publication via our
In addition to the latest Open Research news, events and resources from 黑料网吃瓜爆料 and beyond, we share a round-up of the in the Digest in 2025, and highlight the newly launched .
We鈥檙e pleased to launch a new Open Research Spotlight series, focusing on the work of our . In the first instalment of the new series, Prof Ellen Poliakoff is in conversation with Open Research Librarian John Hynes, reflecting on the outcomes and impacts of her so far. Prof Poliakoff co-directs the investigating how our brains use sensory information, such as vision and touch, to create actions and interact with the world. Her focussed on people with lived experience, for example, of their own or a family member鈥檚 health condition, who contribute to research by advising on, shaping or co-producing research (鈥減ublic contributors鈥; see about how to do this). She aims to share the principles of Open Research with public contributors.
Why did you want to do a Fellowship?
鈥淎s a lab, we have been involving people with lived experience of Parkinson鈥檚 and autistic people in shaping and advising on our research for more than 10 years. Involvement and co-production is an important , particularly in ensuring the research is relevant to those affected. We have also been trying to implement other Open Research practices, such as and and analysis via . Often when a public contributor begins their role, they are offered some general training on 鈥淲hat is research?鈥 but there seemed to be a gap in the training offered about Open Research.
What did you do during your Fellowship?
The first stage of my Fellowship involved doing a (pre-registered) piece of research into what public contributors already did (or did not) know, and would like to know, about Open Research and the different kinds of Open Research practices (DOI: ). I worked with BEAM lab co-director and chair of Professor Emma Gowen, and collaborator (and former PhD student) Dr Jade Pickering, who had championed Open Research during her PhD. I also collaborated with public contributors -Anne Ferrett, Peter Baimbridge and Graham Hanks who contributed their lived experience of caring and autism, as well as their prior experience as public contributors to research.
What challenges did you face?
My first challenge was a 鈥榗hicken and egg鈥 situation 鈥 how could I ask people what they know about Open Research when they might never have heard the term, or know it by another name? Descriptions of the practices can also be quite difficult to follow, even for other researchers, and full of jargon. With advice from my public contributors and collaborators, I created clear definitions of different practices, such as , , and . I also created a fictional mini story for each practice, illustrating how a researcher might carry it out. Participants could choose to listen to a recording if they preferred less reading (a great suggestion from one of our public contributors). We were then able to ask people questions about each practice, having explained what it was.
My next challenges were to find public contributors to take part, and to decide what term to use. I needed to make sure that those who took part had been a public contributor, rather than taking part in research as a participant. This can be confusing as surveys and focus groups can be used to shape research, as well as being part of a research study. Furthermore, there are many different terms used within different fields or institutions, such as patient and public involvement volunteer, co-production officer, service-user etc. I settled on 鈥榩ublic contributor鈥 and made sure to define it. We also recruited via gatekeepers (charities or researchers who worked with public contributors) and encouraged them to translate the name into the right terminology for their contributors.
A final challenge was finding time to do my Fellowship. It wasn鈥檛 possible to relinquish many of the responsibilities of my main job, but the financial support from the Fellowship meant that two brilliant recent PhD students from our lab 鈥 Dr Hayley Shepherd and Dr Ying Bai 鈥 could work with me on the set up and analysis of the survey.
What did you find out?
The participants in our survey, who had a range of lived experience, were passionate about the benefits of co-production. The term 鈥極pen Research鈥 wasn鈥檛 familiar to many of them, but they rated many practices as both familiar and important after the definitions and mini stories. Many of their comments were very insightful, such as the quote I鈥檝e used in the title of this piece, and some described the balance between the benefits of science (making research more efficient) and possible risks (such as sharing data). In fact, some of their concerns were very similar to those raised by researchers. Some of the practices, such as pre-registration, were not as well understood and it was encouraging that participants said that they learnt more about Open Research during the survey (one participant even got in touch to thank me for such an interesting experience!). Finally, more than 70% were interested in further training about Open Research.
I shared our findings at the and have submitted it as a journal article, so others can make use of my findings. For me, 鈥減racticing what I preach鈥 was important - working with public contributors and pre-registering our analysis plan on the OSF. It reminded me of the extra time and effort involved in doing these things properly, but it was rewarding to see our public contributors benefit from seeing this and begin to take their knowledge and experience forward in their other roles.
What will you be doing next with the project and Open Research generally?
The next stage of my project is to create an online training resource to explain different Open Research practices to public contributors. The vignettes and definitions made for the survey will feed into this. The resources will be made openly available online, for sharing by researchers and charities working with public contributors. They may also be useful in wider teaching about Open Research. Ultimately, I hope that we can encourage more projects to embrace Open Research by both researchers and public contributors being better informed.
Taking on this role also inspired me to share Open Research with others in my field. I have taken on the role as Open Research Officer for the and I am co-editing a special issue of Journal of Neuropsychology on co-production.鈥
The Office for Open Research is committed to recognising 黑料网吃瓜爆料 researchers working to progress and embed Open Research practices within and across disciplines. The , funded via the University's , is one of the ways that we enact this commitment. We鈥檙e currently confirming the appointment of our third cohort of Open Research Fellows, and look forward to sharing details of the successful candidates and their projects in January. We鈥檒l also be showcasing the work of our previous cohorts through this new Spotlight series, so check out the and our to keep updated.
]]>Our final Digest of the year will be published this Thursday 18th December, so if you鈥檙e not already signed up, now to receive it straight to your inbox.
If you鈥檇 like to contribute a thought piece to a future edition of the Open Research Digest, please .
]]>Since its launch in May 2025, the Guide has seen strong and growing engagement, with an estimated 750 unique users between June and November 2025 alone. This positive uptake suggests that the Guide is valued by researchers and support staff seeking clear, up-to-date information on Open Access publishing options.
Feedback shared during the pilot has been instrumental in shaping the Guide鈥檚 development. Every suggestion and comment has been carefully considered and shared with the supplier, , and the supplier鈥檚 commitment to actively using 黑料网吃瓜爆料 users鈥 feedback to enhance the platform was an important component of our decision to subscribe to the platform for the year ahead. Work is already underway to improve data transparency, publisher listings, and the accuracy of journal information. Further usability enhancements are planned, including the most effective presentation of journal information, as well as exploration of some potential new features.
We鈥檇 like to thank to everyone who has taken the time to provide feedback so far, and encourage you to share your experiences and suggestions via the feedback form; your voice is vital to the ongoing improvement of the Guide.
In addition to sharing Open Research news, events and funding opportunities from 黑料网吃瓜爆料 and beyond, we highlight how you can now , and introduce databases newly available through the .
We also share the remaining of 2025, including the next meet-up with Dr Samantha Pearman-Kanza of the CaSDaR Network+.
Finally,
University of 黑料网吃瓜爆料 researchers contribute to around 120 commissioned and non-commissioned reports each year. These outputs shape decisions in government, health and social care, industry, and the third sector, yet in many cases they鈥檝e historically lacked the and robust metadata needed to make them discoverable and citable.
The Office for Open Research can now support the minting of DOIs (digital object identifiers) for these kinds of outputs in Pure via an integration with DataCite, the DOI registration agency. Requesting a DOI for a report is very simple, and instructions for requesting a DOI are now available via the .
Once we鈥檝e created a DOI for your report, it will resolve to , where people will be able to find and download a copy.
Here鈥檚 an example of a DOI we minted earlier: .
Adding a DOI is a small step that makes a big difference to the visibility and impact of your report and we鈥檙e here to help you. If you have any questions about this service, please .
Steve Carlton, Open Research Librarian: Open Access
]]>Inspired by the original concept at Lancaster University Library, the series aims to bring together throughout the academic year research data professionals, data stewards, researchers, technicians, and any staff or PGRs at the University with an interest in research data to discuss or learn more about an interesting and important topic (introduced by an expert speaker) connected to research data stewardship, management, and skills training. Importantly it is also an opportunity for colleagues to make connections and have conversation in person over delicious local made pizza (not available at online editions unfortunately!).
At the October event led by , Professor of Data Literacy in the Social Sciences at the University of 黑料网吃瓜爆料, we learnt about the current research data skills and literacy training offer by the and connected research projects on data skills gaps amongst students and data professionals.
We also had an interesting discussion on the emerging role of data journals, such as the and what we can do as a community to promote them more effectively to researchers as an alternative route to sharing their research data.
We plan on organising another four editions this academic year, with two in person and two online. Researchers and support staff interested in discussing the challenges and opportunities arising for research data are warmly invited to join.
The next event will take place on , online via Teams. We will be joined by Dr Samantha Pearman-Kanza, Project Lead for the and Principal Enterprise Fellow, School of Chemistry & Chemical Engineering, University of Southampton. Dr Pearman-Kanza is an expert in digital research practices, data stewardship, and interdisciplinary community building.
We're looking forward to the next round of discussions and building more connections across our research data community at 黑料网吃瓜爆料.
Tristan Martin, Open Research Librarian: Research Data Stewardship
]]>We also share updates from across the University and beyond, including reflections on the launch event in Birmingham, and the introduction of a new collection of which showcase the diverse and innovative ways UoM researchers are integrating openness in their work.
There鈥檚 an opportunity to get involved in an , and we highlight upcoming training and online resources from the Office for Open Research鈥攊ncluding the next on 25 November.
Figshare鈥檚 major release for September has seen some changes to several core user pages including the 鈥楳y Content鈥, Project, and Collection pages. Updates have introduced some new features and have brought the user interface for creating data items, projects and collections into alignment with the public browse and search pages within Figshare, making the user experience more consistent across the system.
You can watch a recording of the and access information about all features in the
For more information about Figshare and support available through the Office for Open Research, visit our and , or with our team.
]]>This is your opportunity to focus on a project that advances Open Research at 黑料网吃瓜爆料, including funding, buyout of your time, and expert support. If you're passionate about openness and collaboration in research, we want to hear from you.
These case studies span disciplines and methods, demonstrating the value of openness for transparency, collaboration, and impact in many different areas of research. Highlights include:
From reproducible computational workflows to participatory approaches with communities, this collection highlights the diversity of ways researchers are opening up their methods, data, and findings.
Explore the full collection via Figshare: .
]]>Join colleagues from the Office for Open Research and some of our previous Open Research Fellows to explore what the Fellowship offers, ask questions, and get guidance on your application. Whether you're an academic, professional, or technical services colleague, this is your chance to learn more.
In addition to Open Research news and events from around campus and beyond, our Open Research Spotlight features Dr Ramiro Bravo sharing about his new project on using OSF as a collaborative framework for undertaking Open Research.
Finally, we highlight My Research Essentials training opportunities and online resources available from the Office for Open Research, including the next with Prof Vanessa Higgins from the UK Data Service on 22 October.
Whether you joined us in person and are looking for a recap, or are checking out the talks for the first time, this year鈥檚 presentations offer rich insights into the future of open scholarship, data sharing, and reproducibility. Some highlights include:
From policy to practice, these sessions reflect the vibrant and evolving landscape of Open Research. We invite you to explore the full playlist, share your favourite talks, and continue the conversation with your communities.
In this Open Research Spotlight, Research Data Manager Dr Ramiro Bravo speaks with Open Research Specialist Josh Emsley about an exciting new project involving using the tool (Open Science Framework) as a collaborative framework in Core Facilities, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health (FBMH). This conversation is part of a wider project, led by the , which is engaging with researchers and research support colleagues across the University of 黑料网吃瓜爆料 (UoM) to explore how are being adopted in different research contexts.
The challenge: fragmented and under-recognised research practices
Collaboration lies at the heart of research, but in practice it can be unorganised, fragmented, and difficult to manage. As Ramiro explains, 鈥淐ore Facilities, research groups and institutes frequently operate independently, leading to inconsistencies in data management, documentation and accessibility. This fragmentation can limit data reuse, interdisciplinary collaboration and reproducibility.鈥
Time and resource constraints add further pressure. 鈥淩esearchers often lack dedicated time and funding to engage with Open Research tools and frameworks,鈥 Ramiro notes. 鈥淲ithout institutional support, Open Research practices are deprioritised in favour of immediate research outputs鈥.
For those wanting to engage, there are additional technical and procedural hurdles that stand in the way. 鈥淢any researchers are unfamiliar with tools like Protocols.io or OSF,鈥 he says. Without clear guidance, the potential of these platforms to support collaborative, reproducible science is left underrealised.
The impact of these challenges is significant and often unseen. As Ramiro points out, 鈥渨ithout clear, open documentation and the sharing of research contributions, the vital role of Core Facilities and technical teams can be overlooked. Missing authorship and inadequate acknowledgement can obscure how research is truly carried out and hinder reproducibility, collaboration and accountability.鈥
The project: embedding OSF into Core Facilities
Ramiro is leading a project to tackle these challenges head on. 鈥淭he project will start with a group of Core Facilities designing OSF projects that will serve as a template on how they will collaborate with research groups in the development of research projects,鈥 he explains. 鈥淩esearch groups are creating their OSF projects to start documenting every step of the research lifecycle, including cross-disciplinary collaboration with Core Facilities.鈥
By embedding OSF into the day-to-day practices of Core Facilities, the project aims to provide a practical, collaborative framework for documenting contributions and supporting transparency.
For Ramiro, OSF鈥檚 strength lies in its flexibility. He highlights several features of the tool that are particularly relevant to collaborative research:
Together, these features provide a tool that can streamline collaboration, enhance oversight, and embed transparency into the way research is carried out.
Beyond usage: Ramiro鈥檚 role in shaping OSF itself
Ramiro鈥檚 involvement with OSF doesn鈥檛 stop at adoption. He also identified a gap in the platform: the need to export projects into formats such as PDF for preservation and backup. 鈥淭here was no way to preserve a project as a complete, portable record,鈥 he explains. 鈥淭hat lack of functionality was a barrier for many researchers.鈥
To address this, Ramiro secured a grant with the (COS) - the organisation responsible for developing and maintaining OSF - and worked with colleagues in Research IT (Sarah Jaffa and Benito Matischen) to develop a solution. The outcome was a new python library called , allowing users to use the CLI (Command Line Interface) and a that enables anyone including UoM users to export their OSF projects to PDF format.
Ramiro and Benito presented the new tool functionality in Washington DC in August 2025 during a conference (hackathon) hosted by COS. The success of the project has since led to Ramiro being invited to join the OSF Open-Source Steering Committee, helping shape the platform鈥檚 future development.
Looking ahead
The next stage of the 黑料网吃瓜爆料 project will see OSF rolled out as a collaborative framework in Core Facilities, beginning with a mid-September kick-off meeting, bringing together FBMH Core Facilities, the 黑料网吃瓜爆料 Cell-Matrix Centre, and the Lydia Becker Institute. Cancer Research UK is also a potential future collaborator.
For Ramiro, the potential of this project is significant: 鈥淒ifferent Core Facilities and research groups can use OSF as a collaborative framework to help document the evolution of research projects. Key benefits include detailed documentation, version control, and privacy controls serving as the foundation of a responsible research culture.鈥
Conclusion
This spotlight shows how OSF is more than just a tool that individual researchers can use. It is a framework that holds potential to change how research teams collaborate. By embedding open documentation into research practice and contributing directly to OSF鈥檚 development, Ramiro鈥檚 work demonstrates how openness, recognition, and reproducibility can become part of the everyday life of research.
The Office for Open Research provides institutional access to many essential Open Research tools like , , and OSF. To learn more about what these tools enable, check out the .
If you want to learn more about OSF as a collaborative framework for research projects and data management in your area, contact Ramiro (ramiro.bravo@manchester.ac.uk) for collaboration opportunities and support.
If you liked this spotlight, check out the other posts in this series:
]]>The Open Research Fellowship programme seeks to provide a unique opportunity for Fellows to advance their careers while contributing to the work of the Office for Open Research. Notably, the programme offers financial support by covering 0.2 FTE salary costs for up to five Fellows, for a period of seven months (from January to July 2026), subject to Head of School/Service approval.
The programme is open to all University academic, professional, and technical services colleagues (up to and including Grade 7).
Find out more:
Applications close on Friday, 24 October.
]]>The Guide, powered by , has demonstrated potential as a helpful tool for researchers navigating the complex landscape of journal selection and Open Access publishing. It allows users to search and filter thousands of journals by discipline and interest, while providing tailored insights into Open Access options based on our institutional publisher agreements and available funding.
Your feedback matters
Since launching the trial, we鈥檝e received thoughtful input from researchers across the University. You鈥檝e told us what works, what doesn鈥檛, and what could be better, and we鈥檝e listened. We鈥檝e shared your experiences directly with ChronosHub, and we鈥檝e emphasised that improvements to the user interface and search functionality are top priorities for our community.
Try out the Guide and support its improvement
We encourage all researchers to try out the , whether you鈥檙e publishing for the first time or exploring new journals. Your feedback continues to be essential in shaping the future of this resource. If you haven鈥檛 already, please take a moment to complete our quick and let us know how the Guide is working for you.
Explore the Guide
For more information about Open Access publishing and the support available through the Office for Open Research, visit our and , or with our team.
]]>If this is you, you can request funding via our . We recommend doing this prior to submitting your paper to a journal, to ensure that you have access to funding before committing to an APC.
Other Open Access funds
The Office for Open Research also manages Open Access funds from several research funders. If your work acknowledges funding from UKRI, The Wellcome Trust, British Heart Foundation (BHF) or Cancer Research UK (CRUK), and you plan to publish in a fully Open Access journal, you may be able to access funds to cover the cost.
Open Access without a fee
Although funding is available, it鈥檚 often possible to publish research Open Access without paying an APC. 黑料网吃瓜爆料鈥檚 policy enables researchers to share the accepted manuscript version of their research via Pure immediately upon publication, regardless of individual publisher embargo requirements. And the Library currently has in place with over 25 publishers, covering all major research disciplines. We also support a number of and alternative or .
How do you build better trust in science? At a time of growing interest and concern over research transparency and reproducibility, researchers are under increasing pressure to make their methods and findings open and verifiable. But demonstrating Open Research (OR) principles in practice isn鈥檛 always straightforward.
For (he/him), Senior Lecturer in Biostatistics in the Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health (FBMH), one of the most effective enablers is the use of the right tools. Over the past seven years, Jack has made the tool (Open Science Framework) 鈥 a free, open-source platform for managing and sharing research 鈥 a central part of his workflow. From analysing IVF success rates to meta-research, Jack鈥檚 work is grounded in a commitment to research transparency and reproducibility. Recently, he has focused on developing a protocol to help researchers identify fraudulent research 鈥 an area where transparent reporting and access to data are vital for critical appraisal.
In this OR Spotlight, Jack speaks with Open Research Specialist Josh Emsley (he/him) about how OSF supports his workflows, what he鈥檚 learned from using it over the years, and how it can help other researchers strengthen the robustness of their work. This conversation is part of a wider project led by the (OOR), which is engaging researchers across the University of 黑料网吃瓜爆料 to explore how are being applied in different research contexts.
Building transparency: How Jack uses OSF across the research lifecycle
Jack first discovered OSF through Twitter (now known as X) in 2018, while completing his PhD on how success is measured in IVF (in vitro fertilisation) treatment. Due to complexities with selecting and measuring different outcomes in IVF, which creates room for selective reporting and invalid analysis, Jack developed statistical methods and practical guidance to help researchers produce more robust, transparent analyses in the field. He used OSF to store and share the , linking this within the main body of a paper he later published based on his PhD research.
For Jack, his motivation to start using OSF wasn鈥檛 so much about metrics or compliance, but something that felt right:
鈥淚鈥檝e been motivated by the idea that it鈥檚 a good thing to do鈥 I believe in open and transparent science so that people can scrutinise it, potentially identify errors, etc鈥 maybe people will reuse my data or it makes it more likely that my paper will be cited鈥 but my primary motivation was that it seemed like a good thing to do so that people can confirm the robustness of my results.鈥
This early instinct towards transparency has continued to develop with Jack鈥檚 research, and he uses OSF across every stage of the research lifecycle:
One of Jack鈥檚 current projects, , examines how researchers and funders define and evaluate whether a health intervention is likely to be effective before large clinical trials begin. Increasingly, funders ask applicants to provide evidence of 'promise' (sometimes called 'proof of concept' or 'evidence of efficacy'), but there is no shared understanding of what this means or how to assess it. The PROMISE study therefore aims to reduce research waste by developing guidance on how to define, report and evaluate this early evidence of effectiveness.
In Stage 2 of the project, Jack and colleagues are reviewing clinical trial protocols to understand how 'promise' is evidenced in practice. OSF plays a central role in the project鈥檚 transparency: the team has shared their protocols, data extraction files, and supporting materials on the platform, ensuring the process is clear and open for scrutiny.
Why it matters: the benefits of using OSF for researchers
Jack鈥檚 motivation for using OSF is simple: it helps him do better science. He highlights that transparent reporting and open data sharing make the critical appraisal of published research much easier. But what are other potential benefits for researchers who might be considering using the platform for the first time?
Here are some of the other benefits to using OSF that Jack鈥檚 experience highlights:
Concluding remarks
Looking ahead, Jack reflects that broader adoption of OR practices may ultimately require stronger expectations from journals and funders, such as mandating preregistration, data sharing or the publication of analysis code. 鈥淭hese are big, difficult questions,鈥 he notes, 鈥渂ut they might need more than just encouragement.鈥
Aligned with the University of 黑料网吃瓜爆料鈥檚 commitment to developing a secure research environment, the OOR identifies, assesses and establishes institutional access to a range of platforms that enable researchers to openly share their research securely and with confidence. To find out more about the OOR鈥檚 set of recommended OR systems, check out the to access dozens of systems that have been subscribed to and supported, and discover the benefits that each tool can offer.
If you want to read more about how researchers are using OSF at 黑料网吃瓜爆料, check out a past OR spotlight that explores how health researcher Dr. Hannah Long uses OSF in her field of qualitative health psychology.
This article is part of our Open Research Spotlight series. As part of our exploratory work on , we consulted with a number of researchers across the University on their experiences of using some of our recommended tools. We published our Open Research Spotlight blog series to highlight these researchers' reflections, and encourage other researchers to explore and try out these tools. Check out the other posts in the series:
]]>During the trial period, we鈥檙e aiming to assess the Guide鈥檚 utility and benefits for 黑料网吃瓜爆料 researchers to determine if we can provide this resource long-term. This means we need to hear from you 鈥 please check out the and let us know if you find it helpful by completing this one-minute .
We鈥檝e already shared feedback received so far with the supplier, highlighting some issues with searching and suggestions of ways to improve the interface. Thank you to all respondents who have taken the time to share your thoughts so far.
You can find out more about the Office for Open Research鈥檚 support for Open Access publishing via our and , or if you鈥檇 like any further information.
]]>In this issue, we reflect on this year鈥檚 , exploring key takeaways from our speakers, Research Culture Lab sessions, and the ideas and discussions that emerged over the two days.
We also catch up with Dr. Stuart Wright, winner of last year鈥檚 Open Research Award, who shares how his important work on breast cancer screening has developed since receiving the award, and reflections on the value of open-source code and modelling.
Our latest Open Research Spotlight features two researchers who鈥檝e made effective use of Overleaf to collaborate openly and streamline the writing process. If you鈥檙e looking for tips on managing open collaborative writing projects, this is well worth a read.
As always, the Digest also includes upcoming events, training opportunities, and updates on Open Research activity from across the University and beyond.
Last year I was honoured to be awarded the inaugural University of 黑料网吃瓜爆料 Open Research Award for our work on the MANC-RISK-SCREEN model. This model, which simulates different strategies for providing breast cancer screening to UK women, went through a published validation process, was published as a pre-print, and the model code was made publicly available through GitHub. At the time of last year's Open Research Conference, the model was being used by a PhD student in Aberdeen to evaluate the use of artificial intelligence in breast cancer screening.
Since that time, the open nature of the model has propelled our research and helped as to develop wide ranging collaborations. Our team were approached to join a team leading a large scale trial of the use of artificial intelligence in breast screening in the UK. We will adapt the model, working with and building on the work of the PhD student in Aberdeen, particularly around modelling the results of the trial in Scotland. In a different project, the model will be adapted by researchers at the University of Cambridge to evaluate the introduction of a breast cancer risk prediction service for younger women in the UK. We have also been approached to support a grant application to explore the impact of lowering the starting age of breast cancer screening in the UK. The code on GitHub has also been accessed by researchers in the Netherlands and Iran.
Our experience with this model has further cemented our desire to adopt a philosophy of open modelling in our future work. Not only has making the model open source provided more opportunities for collaboration and funding but each new project means different sets of eyes on the model code to identify errors and areas for improvement. The outputs of each project add additional components and capabilities to the model, extending is usefulness further. This provides multiple avenues for informing UK health policy and improving breast cancer screening for women.
We have also recently become consumers of Open Research as well as producers, attempting to build on existing open source models to develop screening models in cervical and lung cancer screening. For the cervical cancer model, we have been provided with existing code for a Human Papillomavirus infectious disease model and are exploring the detailed HPVsim model coded in Python (which is helping me to develop my own coding skills in the language!). For our lung cancer model, we hope to build on the work of colleagues at the University of Exeter whose open source ENaBL model informed the introduction of lung screening in the UK. Accessing these models helps us to speed up our research and will hopefully allow us to add components to the code which will benefits other researchers.
Hopefully this post has convinced you of the value of producing and using open source code in your research. If so, I鈥檇 like to end on a few tips. Even though you may be able to openly access code, it will still take a reasonable amount of effort to understand that code and adapt it for your own purposes. We would therefore highly recommend contacting the original developers to see if they can provide some advice to get you started. Hopefully (as in our case) they will be happy to provide a bit of an introduction to the code. If you need more detailed input or need to conduct your research quickly then you could also discuss the opportunity for paper authorship in return for their input. For major pieces of work where you need a lot of advice you should also consider including model developers as co-applicants on grants. Finally, even if you do decide to adapt the code yourself, its still useful for code developers to know that their model is being used so they can highlight their impact so don鈥檛 forget to drop them an email!
]]>This month鈥檚 issue features a thought piece on open executable books for robotics from Murilo Marinho, including the motivations and challenges of this ambitious project, plans for future developments, and information on how researchers, educators and students can get involved.
In addition to news and events from around campus and beyond, we highlight our latest Open Research Spotlight, which features Dr. Ramiro Bravo reflecting on the use of in research data management within core facilities. You can also read Dr. Tristan Martin鈥檚 reflections on the latest Opening Up Research event on Open Data, and find out about the next on 18 June.
Finally, it鈥檚 your last chance to register for , taking place on Monday, 9 and Tuesday, 10 June at Alliance 黑料网吃瓜爆料 Business School. The Digest includes information on our keynote speakers and fantastic programme, and how to book your place.
A tool for every discipline
is an online collaborative writing and publishing tool that uses a LaTeX/RichText editor to help create professional-looking documents. It is designed to make the process of writing, editing, and producing papers and research documents quicker and easier for authors. Overleaf allows you to focus on the content, while the platform takes care of formatting, enabling you to use a range of templates for journal submissions, theses, and other academic work. The (OOR) supports institutional access to Overleaf鈥檚 premium features, giving University of 黑料网吃瓜爆料 (UoM) researchers additional support for writing and collaboration.
In this Open Research Spotlight, Josh Emsley (he/him) from the OOR spoke with two researchers who use Overleaf daily in different research contexts. (he/him), an atmospheric scientist, used LaTeX for decades and turned to Overleaf after spotting it in university communications. 鈥淲hen I retired from teaching, I had another look at this thing and thought, my goodness me, this is the tool I鈥檝e been looking for all my life.鈥 . (she/her), a final-year PhD student in analytic philosophy, discovered Overleaf through her supervisor and now uses it daily for writing assessments, organising notes, and developing an array of outputs. 鈥淚f I start a new project, it鈥檚 going to be a new Overleaf,鈥 she said.
A workspace for thinking and organising research
Beyond just formatting documents, Overleaf provides a space where researchers can structure and refine their ideas. Both Geraint and Maheshi described how the platform has become integral to their research workflow, helping them structure their note-taking, writing and ongoing analysis.
For Geraint, Overleaf offered a practical solution for turning decades鈥 worth of handwritten notebooks into a coherent digital archive. 鈥淲hat I was trying to do was abstract the important information from these notebooks and consolidate them,鈥 he explained. With a background in physics, Geraint stressed his preference for Overleaf over Microsoft and Google tools due to its smooth handling of equations, formulas and graphs. 鈥淢icrosoft鈥檚 tools really are not fit for the purpose,鈥 he said. 鈥淭here won鈥檛 be a science thesis anywhere without either diagrams or lots of formulae in it.鈥 Having previously used LaTeX, he stressed that Overleaf provided the user-friendly layer that 鈥渢ook away all the pain of LaTeX.鈥
Geraint also reflected on the benefits of writing in an online environment that supports iterative development and reflection. 鈥淚t makes the research itself more productive, in the intellectual part of it, not so much the tool part,鈥 he said. Overleaf helped him identify connections, revise arguments, and move more easily from exploratory notes to publication-ready content.
Maheshi also echoed this idea of Overleaf as a space for thinking. She described how the layout and interface encouraged focus: 鈥淚t gets you to work.鈥 She used Overleaf for a wide range of writing activities, from reading group notes to formal assessments, and appreciated how it helps her structure projects as they evolve. 鈥淚t helps you focus鈥 the way the page is set up, it helps you concentrate on the work.鈥 Overleaf also integrates with popular reference managers like Zotero and Mendeley, making it easier to manage citations and bibliographies directly within the platform 鈥 a useful feature for researchers working across multiple documents or projects.
Together, these reflections demonstrate that Overleaf is more than a LaTeX editor; it鈥檚 a research workspace which can support the development of research thinking and writing.
From professional outputs to publication
Another strength of Overleaf is how it transforms draft content into clean, professional, publication-ready documents. For both Maheshi and Geraint, this was a reason the platform became central to their workflows, supporting the sharing of their work with supervisors and publishers.
Maheshi described the immediate impact of Overleaf鈥檚 formatting functionality on how her work was received. Discussing periodic PhD reviews with her supervisor, she highlighted, 鈥渋t gives that professional look鈥 like you're giving half a piece of a published paper.鈥 Maheshi used Overleaf to prepare formal submissions such as media reviews, annual assessments, and even newspaper articles. 鈥淭he templates which come out of Overleaf are a better quality than Word鈥 she added. 鈥淭he font styles actually help with creating that more formal, more professional overview.鈥
Maheshi also pointed to practical features that helped her stay focused, such as the spell checker and in-document commenting. Over time, she transitioned away from traditional tools entirely: 鈥淚've stopped using Microsoft Word鈥 now if I start a new project, it's going to be a new Overleaf鈥. For those preparing journal submissions, Overleaf includes direct submission links to dozens of academic publishers. This can save valuable time by reducing the need to reformat work to meet journal guidelines at the final stage.
For Geraint, Overleaf鈥檚 publishing features were especially valuable for writing scientific papers rich in figures and mathematical content. 鈥淚f you're writing a scientific document, you want to put a lot in鈥 I use a lot of mathematical expressions, and that obviously is very easy with Overleaf, and it leads comfortably into publication.鈥 New features like equation preview and collaborator controls continue to improve usability for scientific writing. The platform also supports two-way syncing with Dropbox and GitHub, giving researchers more flexibility in how they store and back up their work.
Concluding thoughts: embedding good habits early
Maheshi and Geraint鈥檚 insights reflect how Overleaf supports structured thinking and writing as well as professional presentation. Their experiences also highlight the value of embedding Overleaf early in the research lifecycle.
Looking back on his role leading a doctoral training programme, Geraint emphasised the importance of developing good habits from the start. 鈥淚 think it鈥檚 an important part of research training, really, to get people into this space of properly documenting their thoughts,鈥 he said. Tools like Overleaf, especially when introduced early, can help researchers with their day-to-day workflow as well as preparing for publication.
By embedding Overleaf into workshops, supervisor guidance, and research training, the University of 黑料网吃瓜爆料 can better support researchers to write, collaborate, and share their work openly. That kind of habit, established early in the research journey, can make a lasting difference.
To sign up for Overleaf Professional, visit the and log in using your University credentials. To stay up to date with the latest features and guidance, visit the .
This conversation is part of a wider project led by the OOR which is engaging researchers across UoM to explore how are being applied in different research contexts. Aligned with the University of 黑料网吃瓜爆料鈥檚 commitment to developing a secure research environment, the OOR identifies, assesses and established institutional access to a range of platforms that enable researchers to openly share their research safely and with confidence. To find out more about the OOR鈥檚 set of recommended OR systems, check out the to access dozens of systems that have been developed, subscribed to, supported, and discover the benefits that each tool can offer.
This article is part of our Open Research Spotlight series. As part of our exploratory work on , we consulted with a number of researchers across the University on their experiences of using some of our recommended tools. We published our Open Research Spotlight blog series to highlight these researchers' reflections, and encourage other researchers to explore and try out these tools. Check out the other posts in the series:
]]>Below we are going to summarise the key points on the benefits and challenges to using open data in academic research today that were highlighted during the discussion, in addition to how open data sharing can be improved.
We hope it will inspire you to read more about open data research practices and the use of open data sharing in research and modern society more widely.
鈥極pening up Research鈥 is a collaborative effort involving the Office for Open Research (supported by the ), the representatives from the (UKRN), and .
The 2024/25 series concludes this year with 黑料网吃瓜爆料 Open Research Conference, which this year is a two-day event:
To see the full conference programme and book your place:
The next session will be led by , Research Associate in Health Inequalities and 2024-25. Hannah will lead a discussion on open data practices for qualitative health researchers and her Open Research Fellows project on developing a Data Note guide specifically for qualitative research datasets. .
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Themes include:
Questions? Contact the team at openresearch@manchester.ac.uk
]]>In this Open Research Spotlight, Open Research Specialist Josh Emsley (he/him) speaks with Research Data Manager Dr. Ramiro Bravo (he/him) about the opportunities of using Protocols.io to enhance research transparency and reproducibility. This conversation is part of a wider project led by the which is engaging researchers and research support staff across the University of 黑料网吃瓜爆料 (UoM) to explore how are being applied in different research contexts.
Promoting good data management: Ramiro鈥檚 role in research workflows
Dr. Ramiro Bravo is a Research Data Manager based in the Core Facilities (CF) within the Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health (FBMH) at the University of 黑料网吃瓜爆料 (UoM). As a Research Data Manager, Ramiro collaborates with the CF team, Principal Investigators (PIs), and health researchers to promote good data management practices. With a background in both biomedical engineering and computer science, Ramiro brings a strong technical background to his role. He provides technical assistance for research data storage, oversees project management of research data lifecycles, and collaborates with Open Research Ambassadors in the in FBMH.
Ramiro is a strong advocate for Open Research (OR) practices, positioning them as essential to ensuring research data transparency, reproducibility, and collaboration across research teams. Given that a large proportion of research data in FBMH originates from CF, Ramiro鈥檚 role is crucial in driving and promoting OR among these facilities and the broader research community. Ramiro explains his collaborative approach:
鈥淐ollaborating with Core Facilities to ensure data is provided to researchers in the most effective way is essential. This approach encourages researchers to maintain strong data management practices, including proper documentation, metadata creation, preparation of analysis results, and tracking of software usage. By adhering to the FAIR (findable, accessible, interoperable and reusable) principles, we can foster a culture of good data management and Open Research from the start of research projects through to publication, data storage and eventual data destruction.鈥
For Ramiro, one way to foster greater OR practices across research workflows is using the right tools 鈥 which is why he is an advocate for .
鈥淓nsuring transparency and reproducibility鈥: How Protocols.io is opening up research workflows
Protocols.io is an OR management tool designed to support research projects and enable collaboration in the development and sharing of detailed research . Through UoM鈥檚 institutional membership arranged by The Office for Open Research, staff and students can create private individual and team spaces for method development, collaboration and the tracking of protocol execution records.
There are multiple pathways to publishing a protocol on Protocols.io. Users can start from scratch with a blank template or import content from existing documents using an AI-assisted tool. As the Office for Open Research has established an institutional membership for Protocols.io, UoM staff and students can access a premium import service where the platform鈥檚 team will enter a protocol on behalf of a user. Users can also discover and adapt (鈥榝ork鈥) existing public protocols on the platform, enabling ongoing refinement and reuse. Ramiro shares some of the key benefits of using Protocols.io below.
The power of detailed documentation
鈥淧rotocols.io is a valuable tool for maintaining records of how data is generated by Core Facilities.鈥
Ramiro believes detailed documentation is foundational to good research data management. Protocols.io allows CF teams to record, refine and share the step-by-step processes by which data is generated 鈥 from sample preparation through to analysis. This moves beyond the limitations of traditional methods reporting in journal articles, which is often restricted by word limits and lacks sufficient detail required for reproducibility.
With Protocols.io, researchers can develop comprehensive protocols that remain private for internal review until ready for public sharing. This enables teams to collaboratively review and improve research workflows, while ensuring access to accurate, up-to-date procedures.
Ramiro highlights that sample traceability remains a persistent challenge in CF, particularly when samples are submitted without accompanying preparation documentation. Protocols.io helps resolve this issue by documenting how a sample was prepared, making it easier to connect upstream preparation with downstream analysis.
鈥淧rotocols.io allows researchers to share their protocol records with Core Facilities, detailing how their samples were prepared. This fosters better collaboration, standardisation, and adherence to best practices.鈥
By embedding these documentation practices into research workflows, Ramiro sees Protocols.io as a powerful enabler of the FAIR data sharing principles, even if researchers aren鈥檛 explicitly aiming to align with them. He shares a as a primary example.
Enhanced discoverability and version control
Two further benefits to using Protocols.io Ramiro highlights are enhanced discoverability and version control. When a protocol is published, it becomes publicly available and receives a unique DOI (Digital Object Identifier). Ramiro explains how the DOI feature makes protocols independently citable research outputs:
鈥淲hen a paper needs to describe the methods, the Core Facility could provide the DOI of the protocol they used and published, ensuring proper credit鈥︹
If a published protocol is reused or forked by others on Protocols.io, the original remains fully traceable and credited, supporting transparency and appropriate recognition of authorship. Each version of a protocol is archived, and refinements over time are logged, linked and can be compared, allowing researchers to demonstrate how a method has evolved overtime. Protocols.io also tracks engagement with published protocols through metrics such as views, comments, runs, and version forks, providing insights into protocol engagement.
Ramiro points out that protocols published on Protocols.io are distinct research outputs, with their own authorship and citation history. This can create opportunities for early career researchers and research methodologists to gain first-author recognition for methodological contributions 鈥 strengthening visibility and facilitating future research collaborations. Linking protocol DOIs to research profiles and publications also helps to build a visible record of technical expertise and demonstrate impact beyond traditional journal articles.
Concluding thoughts
Through his advocacy and work in research data management, Ramiro is playing a key role in promoting OR practices across CF in FBMH. His insights emphasise that OR is not only about making data accessible, but also ensuring that research workflows are transparent, reproducible, and well-documented across the entire lifecycle.
"Open Research tools like Protocols.io are essential for improving data transparency, documentation, and collaboration across research teams. By integrating these tools into research workflows, we can ensure that research is more reproducible, accessible, and aligned with FAIR principles."
Are you using Protocols.io or other OR tools in your work at 黑料网吃瓜爆料? We鈥檇 love to hear from you! with the Office for Open Research to share your experiences and insights on how these tools are supporting your research.
This article is part of our Open Research Spotlight series. As part of our exploratory work on , we consulted with a number of researchers across the University on their experiences of using some of our recommended tools. We published our Open Research Spotlight blog series to highlight these researchers' reflections, and encourage other researchers to explore and try out these tools. Check out the other posts in the series:
]]>We鈥檙e trialling the Journal Guide until July 2025, during which time we鈥檒l assess its utility and benefits for 黑料网吃瓜爆料 researchers to determine if we can provide this resource long-term. This means we need to hear from you 鈥 please check out the and let us know if you find it helpful by completing this one-minute .
You can find out more about the Office for Open Research鈥檚 support for Open Access publishing via our and , or if you鈥檇 like any further information.
]]>This month, we鈥檙e highlighting the first edition of our Open Research Spotlight series, with Open Research Specialist Josh Emsley in conversation with Dr. Hannah Long on how she uses OSF (Open Science Framework) to both manage and open her research, with reflections on the wider cultural and ethical considerations shaping Open Research practices in health psychology.
You can also find out how to nominate your colleagues 鈥 or yourself! 鈥 for the 2025 Open Research Award, which recognises individuals and teams who have made significant contributions to Open Research at 黑料网吃瓜爆料. The winner will be announced at the 2025 , so make sure you鈥檝e .
We also share details of two brand new My Research Essentials (MRE) workshops on and ; our next Opening Up Research event on ; and the next meet-up; as well as updates on Open Research activity and opportunities around the University and beyond.
Our aim is to promote and facilitate open research initiatives and practices within 黑料网吃瓜爆料. We recognise the importance of transparency, inclusivity, and collaboration in research, and we are committed to creating an environment where these principles thrive.
The Open Research Kick-Off is just the beginning of an engaging series of events for the 2024/25 academic year, culminating in the Open Research Conference. This year鈥檚 events programme is closely aligned with the , which provides essential guidance on fostering openness throughout the research lifecycle. The Framework serves as a valuable resource for researchers, departments, and disciplines, helping to assess and enhance their engagement with open research practices. Opening up Research events are open to all University staff, including professional services staff, postgraduate researchers, and early career researchers.
Managing and sharing research data transparently to ensure that data can be reused, validated, and built upon by other researchers.
Join our multi-disciplinary panel for an interactive discussion on the use of open and accessible data in modern research, the challenges of both using and sharing open data, and the future of open data research methods. The session will include a panel discussion, with time for tea, coffee, and networking with other attendees.
Speakers:
Chair: Bill Ayres (Strategic Lead for UoM Library)
1鈥2 pm: Panel presentations and discussion
2鈥2.30 pm: Optional informal chat over coffee
Following the success of last year's event, 黑料网吃瓜爆料 Open Research Conference will return for a two-day event:
Find out more and book your place:
Check back here regularly for the latest updates and event registration details. You can also subscribe to our to receive the most recent updates on open research at the University and the broader research landscape.
For any queries, please contact the team:
]]>鈥淲e鈥檙e still figuring it out.鈥
Sharing data in qualitative health psychology research is a complex and evolving challenge. While Open Research (OR) principles are gaining traction across many disciplines, practical and ethical barriers often prevent qualitative health researchers from fully adopting open data sharing practices.
In this Open Research Spotlight, Research Services Analyst Josh Emsley (he/him) speaks with Dr. Hannah Long (she/her), Research Associate in Health Inequalities, about the challenges of data sharing in qualitative health psychology and the benefits of using (Open Science Framework), a key OR tool. This conversation is part of a wider project led by the which is engaging researchers across the University of 黑料网吃瓜爆料 (UoM) to explore how are being applied in different research contexts.
From health inequalities to qualitative data notes: Hannah鈥檚 research interests
Dr. is a Research Associate in Health Inequalities for the at UoM. She employs a range of evidence synthesis methods to investigate health inequalities and the wider determinants of health. Her work particularly focuses on the effects of public sector policy and health and social care interventions.
In August 2024, Hannah secured an through which she has developed an article reporting guideline for Data Notes on qualitative health and social care research datasets through . Data Notes are peer-reviewed articles that describe how and why an archived research dataset was created, with the aim of increasing research transparency, promoting data reuse, and making data findable, accessible, interoperable, and reusable (FAIR).
Currently, Data Note templates and guides are designed primarily for quantitative data. Hannah鈥檚 Open Research Fellowship study will produce a new version suitable for qualitative datasets. Her DeNOTE project aligns with broader OR principles, enhancing the transparency, accessibility and reusability of qualitative data in health psychology research through a co-designed Data Note guideline.
鈥淭here are so many concerns around it鈥: The complexities of data sharing in qualitative health psychology
Hannah situates OR within qualitative health psychology by acknowledging the unique challenges and hesitations in the field regarding open data sharing. She notes that while some OR practices are gaining traction, qualitative health researchers face additional ethical and practical barriers:
鈥淢uch of the qualitative data we deal with has ethical and sensitivity considerations, particularly around participant identity鈥 the potential for identifying participants from their qualitative data is higher than it is for other data types, like quantitative, so we鈥檙e not yet on the open data train鈥
The qualitative health community is still figuring out if or how we can safely share our data and protect our participants. There鈥檚 a lack of guidance. And until that鈥檚 figured out, I think we are going to be a bit slower to join, slower to introduce open data practices.鈥
Using evidence synthesis techniques as her primary research method, Hannah works mainly with secondary data that is already available in published study reports. This allows her to adopt OR practices without encountering the ethical concerns faced by peers who collect primary qualitative data. At the same time, she is working to foster a stronger culture of OR within the qualitative health community around data sharing:
鈥淚n qualitative health research, we don鈥檛 typically share our datasets. There are too many concerns around it鈥 which is something I鈥檓 trying to help shift slightly, as we need Open Research infrastructure that has been tailored to better suit qualitative data. Quantitative researchers might know more about open practices they can adopt into their research, but in qualitative research these practices are not yet widely ingrained in the same way.鈥
Despite these challenges, Hannah sees opportunity for incorporating more OR practices into the research workflow where possible and appropriate:
鈥淭here are certainly things around publishing protocols, sharing our study materials, being more transparent about our methods and decisions, and getting better at reporting what we鈥檝e done that we can all do.鈥
鈥淎 tool to expand what I can publish鈥: How Hannah uses OSF to expand and share her research
Research protocols are a way of recording and sharing research methodologies, promoting better transparency and reproducibility across research workflows. Hannah highlights that, in her field of health inequalities and psychology, registering a research protocol is relatively common:
鈥淭o the best of my knowledge, most people write a protocol and share it in one form or another before their study starts. But many of these protocols are published in traditional ways, as peer-reviewed journal articles, rather than using open platforms like OSF to distribute them 鈥 with the exception of PROSPERO for systematic reviews.鈥
Hannah initially used PROSPERO 鈥 an international registry for systematic review protocols 鈥 for registering protocols, but found OSF to offer broader functionality. In particular, OSF supports the registration of protocols for primary qualitative studies and other types of evidence synthesis not supported by PROSPERO. OSF is an OR management tool that helps researchers organise projects, collaborate, and (pre)register research questions and methodologies. It serves as a generalist repository for protocol (pre)registration and version control, publishing preprints and data sharing. The Office for Open Research has established institutional access to OSF鈥檚 premium functionalities, offering additional support for all students and staff.
Beyond protocol registration, Hannah uses OSF to share supplementary materials, processed data, and any necessary deviations from her protocols online (see ). The platform allows users to control data storage location (important for GDPR compliance), and to assign DOIs (Digital Object Identifier) to project outputs 鈥 enhancing both traceability and discoverability:
鈥淚 use it mainly as a tool to expand what I can publish related to a study, and then I鈥檒l reference the DOI in my papers or other outputs so people know where to find it. It鈥檚 basically like extra storage, that鈥檚 how I think of it.鈥
The discoverability aspect of OSF-hosted materials is another important benefit for Hannah, allowing her to link her OSF project space in publications. OSF further provides flexible privacy controls, allowing users to effectively manage licencing, access and privacy across a range of components within a project space. The DOI feature allows a user to reserve a DOI before publication, activating when a project is finished and ready for sharing.
Hannah believes that promoting OR practices and tools such as OSF isn鈥檛 just about raising better awareness 鈥 it鈥檚 about changing behaviour through the wider research culture at 黑料网吃瓜爆料.
鈥淚 think many people may simply be unaware of the wide range of available tools, or they stick to familiar methods because they work well enough. And they don鈥檛 actively seek out alternatives that could further support their work, because we鈥檙e busy, and we don鈥檛 know what we don鈥檛 know鈥
We need to better understand the barriers to uptake and why some choose not to use the tools on offer鈥 it鈥檚 about behaviour change鈥 and how we can support people to build it into their own research practice.鈥
With cultivating an 鈥榦pen and responsible research environment鈥 being a strategic goal for UoM, researchers like Hannah play a crucial role in advocating and championing OR practices across 黑料网吃瓜爆料鈥檚 research community. The Office for Open Research drives progress toward the University鈥檚 strategic OR goals by delivering initiatives and projects through its Open Research Programme. This includes supporting access to OR systems like OSF, as well as the provision of specialist workshops and training on using OR tools through the skills programme. The RLP-funded project aims to further bring together a growing community of data stewards and researchers who foster OR practices across UoM.
Concluding thoughts
Our conversation with Dr. Hannah Long highlights both the barriers and opportunities of adopting OR practices in qualitative health psychology. While concerns about participant confidentiality and data sensitivity remain key challenges, tools like OSF offer pathways for greater research transparency through protocol (pre)registration, version control, supplementary material sharing, and enhanced discoverability. The Office for Open Research plays an important role in supporting OR practices at UoM by providing institutional access, training and guidance on using OR systems like OSF.
Are you using OSF or other OR tools in your work at 黑料网吃瓜爆料? We鈥檇 love to hear from you! with the Office for Open Research and share your experiences and insights on how these tools are supporting your research.
Want to hear more from Hannah about her Open Research Fellows project? on Wednesday 28 May 2025 at 12pm in the Main Library where Hannah will be leading the third session in the Research Data Conversations series.
This article is part of our Open Research Spotlight series. As part of our exploratory work on , we consulted with a number of researchers across the University on their experiences of using some of our recommended tools. We published our Open Research Spotlight blog series to highlight these researchers' reflections, and encourage other researchers to explore and try out these tools. Check out the other posts in the series:
]]>This award recognises individuals and teams who have made significant contributions to Open Research at 黑料网吃瓜爆料.
If you can demonstrate engagement with Open Research through community and training initiatives, adherence to open and FAIR data principles, commitment to open access publishing, use of open software, and alignment with the , then now is your chance to be recognised!
Who can be nominated?
鈥 University of 黑料网吃瓜爆料 academic, technical, and professional services staff.
鈥 Postgraduate researchers (PGRs).
鈥 Individuals and research teams (self-nominations are welcome).
Award benefits include:
鈥 Commemorative trophy for the winner.
鈥 Title of Honorary Fellow of the Office for Open Research.
鈥 Invitation to join the Open Research Fellowship alumni network.
鈥 Opportunity to contribute to the .
鈥 The chance to act as an ambassador for Open Research across the University and beyond.
Nomination Deadline: 30 April 2025
Submit your nomination here: .
For more information and to register for the conference, visit the .
]]>This month, we hear from Open Research Librarian John Hynes, coordinator of our , considering research indicators in the context of Open Research.
You can also find out the latest news on our ; our next Opening Up Research event on ; and the next meet-up; as well as updates on our and Open Research activity and opportunities around the University and beyond.
The Office for Open Research (OOR) has launched a to sharing research openly throughout the research lifecycle. Sharing research as openly as possible is key to driving innovation and maximising its potential societal impact. Sharing more research outputs, earlier in the process, offers many potential benefits, including:
The new guide is indented to support researchers in realising these benefits, as part of the University of 黑料网吃瓜爆料鈥檚 commitment to cultivating an open and responsible research environment.
Developed in partnership with the Library鈥檚 eLearning team and with contributions from our and colleagues, the guide takes you through the stages of the research process, highlighting opportunities to share research at each point, as well as important considerations before taking action. It also includes details of a range of to which the OOR provides enhanced for 黑料网吃瓜爆料 researchers access via funded institutional memberships.
We鈥檇 love to hear your feedback to help us develop this guide further. Is there a research output that you create within your area of research focus that we haven鈥檛 included, or a tool you use to share outputs that we haven鈥檛 mentioned? Please to share your experiences.
]]>Firstly, if you haven鈥檛 heard of Research Data Conversations (RDC), let me explain how it works, the idea behind it, and why you should come to the next conversation on !
The concept behind RDC (credit to our friends and colleagues at Lancaster University Library for the original idea) is simple: provide an informal space for staff and students interested in and/or directly engaged in research data, data management, open data, data, and data stewardship to come together, learn something new, and connect with each other during and afterwards over a free lunch. RDC is a collaboration between the Library鈥檚 researcher development programme and the (itself a collaboration between the and the ).
In the first conversation, lead by to a Data Curator at the , it was heartening to see the range of people from across the research community at the University of 黑料网吃瓜爆料 come together and connect: data stewards, research data managers, postgraduate researchers, librarians, academics, and research technicians. Conversations were had for the first time between colleagues in the same department and faculty who had no idea the other was interested in and working on the same research data topics they were! This is what RDC is all about, and what we hope to see much more of in the future.
Our next conversation will be led by Dr James Bird (Research IT, University of 黑料网吃瓜爆料). James will share his experience of opening up his PhD research, how the use of an electronic research notebook (ERN) enabled that, and the .
For the rest of the academic year RDC will be moving away from topics associated more with the science and engineering research data community (don鈥檛 worry we will be back soon!) and focusing on topics related to qualitative data research (no spoilers). RDC aims to be as inclusive as possible and accessible to the entire research community, and that very much includes those researchers in the humanities, social sciences, and qualitative research communities. At the end of the day, all research includes the collection and analysis of information or observations (data) in some form, so we would love to see as many people as possible from these communities participate in RDC in the future (as a speaker or attendee!).
The next RDC will take place on February 12 and is open to all staff and PGRs
If you have an idea for a conversation topic or would like to be a featured speaker at a future RDC, please email us via openresearch@manchester.ac.uk.
]]>The Opening up Research kick-off in October featured President and Chancellor Professor Duncan Ivison in conversation with Institutional Lead for Open and Reproducible Research Andrew Stewart, and engaging updates on the varied and impactful projects of our 2022-24 Open Research Fellows. We are now looking forward to the next event in the series, taking place on Tuesday, 4 February, focusing on Open Software.
We鈥檙e also busy preparing for our second Open Research Conference which will take place over two days on Monday, 9 and Tuesday, 10 June.
The event will showcase the latest innovations and practices in Open Research, bringing together researchers, postgraduate researchers (PGRs), and research support professionals across disciplines to explore bold ideas and practical solutions for reshaping how we conduct and share research.
You can also which brings together the latest news and activities to get involved in, and insights from experts, practitioners, advocates and challengers across the Open Research landscape. And please if you鈥檙e interested in writing an opinion piece for a future edition of the Digest, or if you鈥檇 like to discuss any aspect of Open Research.
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