Research by PLOS
Investigating questions surrounding open science and scholarly communications with a view to building better solutions
Our mission is to help lead a transformation in research communication. Success relies in part on developing a deeper understanding of our scholarly publishing system, and the factors that shape it, so we can better understand community needs, motivations, and behaviors.
Like the researchers who publish in our journals, PLOS prioritizes openness by posting and publishing the open science outputs from our own research. This page provides a catalogue of those outputs, including several from collaborative projects that we have had the privilege to work on with other thought leaders in the open science community.
Open science practices
Measuring open science
An analysis of the effects of open science indicators on citations in the French Open Science Monitor
Giovanni Colavizza, Lauren Cadwallader, Iain Hrynaszkiewicz
| Article May 26 2026 | Preprint August 28 2025 | Data and code November 19 2024 |
Collaboratively seeking better solutions for monitoring open science
Iain Hrynaskiewicz and Chris Heid
| Blog post March 20 2024 |
Open Science Indicators
Open Science Indicators are a large public dataset that uses Natural Language Processing to identify and measure open science practices, both at PLOS, and in the literature more broadly. The dataset begins in January 2018, and is updated quarterly.
Open science practice guidelines
TOP 2025: An update to the Transparency and Openness Promotion Guidelines
Sean Grant, Katherine S. Corker, David Mellor, Suzanne L. K. Stewart, Evan Mayo-Wilson, Aidan G, et al
| Article August 5 2026 |
Supporting FAIR practices in scholarly publishing with the Editorial Reference Handbook
Allyson L. Lister, Rebecca Taylor-Grant, Matthew Cannon, Roshan Ahmed, Gabriele Alfarano, et al
| Article July 24 2026 |
Open code
Open data
Open methods
Promoting Reusable and Open Methods and Protocols (PRO-MaP): Draft Recommendations to Improve Methodological Clarity in Life Sciences Publications
Sofia B. Leite, Matthew Brooke, Annamaria Carusi, Andy Collings, Pierre Deceuninck, et al
| Preprint June 13 2023 |
The MDAR (Materials Design Analysis Reporting) Framework for transparent reporting in the life sciences
Malcolm Macleod, Andrew M. Collings, Chris Graf, Veronique Kiermer, David Mellor, et al
| Article April 27 2021 |
Open research culture
Researchers’ Goals When Assessing Credibility and Impact in Committees and in Their Own Work
James Harney, Louise Mayville, Iain Hrynaszkiewicz, Veronique Kiermer
| Preprint July 29 2021 |
Evaluating equity in scholarly publishing
Simone Taylor, Susan Spilka, Kristen Monahan, Isabel Mulhern, Jeri Wachter
| Article May 26 2020 |