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Journal article
Awareness and use of open research practices: an international survey of researchers across disciplines
Royal Society open science, Vol.13(8), 260462
2026
Abstract
This mixed methods study investigates international researchers' awareness and use of open research practices and explores variations across regions, disciplines, methodologies and career stages. A total of 3017 researchers across 45 countries and 24 disciplines completed the Brief Open Research Survey, reporting their awareness and use of 11 common open research practices and factors that would support their adoption. Across the sample, respondents reported high awareness of open access publications, preprints and open data, and awareness only fell below 50% for research co-production and registered reports. Use was high for open access publications, but fell below 50% for preprints, open data, open research, open materials, open peer review, open code, preregistration, research co-production, replication and registered reports. Awareness and use varied across the sampled regions (e.g. Europe versus Asia), disciplines (e.g. psychology versus physical sciences), methodologies (e.g. quantitative versus qualitative) and career stages (e.g. PhD students versus professors). Respondents reported that the top five supportive strategies were incentives from funders, institutions and regulators; dedicated funding; recognition in promotion and recruitment criteria; more training; and more information. Qualitative responses provide insight into challenges and opportunities. Estimates of awareness can guide training initiatives, while estimates of use can inform policy development and longitudinal evaluations of behaviour change. Variations between regions, disciplines, methodologies and career stages should be acknowledged.
Details
- Title
- Awareness and use of open research practices: an international survey of researchers across disciplines
- Authors/Creators
- Charlotte Rebecca Pennington - Aston UniversityEmma Norris - Brunel University of LondonMagda Skubera - Aston UniversityYalige Ba - Aston UniversityRyssa Moffat - ETH ZurichOlavo B. Amaral - Univ Fed Rio de Janeiro, Inst Med Biochem Leopoldo Meis, Rio De Janeiro, BrazilMatus Adamkovic - Charles UniversityArca Adiguzel - Mugla Sitki Kocman Univ, Dept Psychol Counseling & Guidance, Mugla, TurkiyeRafaela A. Almeida - Ecologie & EvolutionJessie R. Baldwin - Department of Health and Social CareNick Ballou - Imperial College LondonLuiza Marques Prates Behrens - Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do SulMichael G. Bertram - Swedish University of Agricultural SciencesIngvild E. Bjerke - University of OsloSimon E. Blackwell - University of GöttingenAgata Bochynska - OsloMet – Oslo Metropolitan UniversityMichiel R. De Boer - University Medical Center GroningenIvan Buljan - Croatian Academic and Research NetworkCristian B. Canales-Aguirre - National University of MisionesHarry Carey - University of OsloVladimira Cavojova - Centre of Social and Psychological Sciences of the Slovak Academy of SciencesWilliam P. Cawthorn - University of EdinburghSimon Christ - Leibniz University HannoverKrzysztof Cipora - Jagiellonian UniversityAlden Conner - The Alan Turing InstituteFederica P. Conte - University of Milano-BicoccaDavide Crepaldi - University of PaviaDavid A. Ellis - University of BathTimothy M. Errington - Center for Open ScienceEmily K. Farran - University of SurreyGordon B. Feld - Central Institute of Mental HealthRaquel Freitag - Univ Fed Sergipe, Dept Vernacular Languages, Sao Cristovao, BrazilPaulina Gebauer - Universidad de Los LagosSarah Gunn - University of LeicesterHelena Hartmann - Essen University HospitalVictoria C. Hellon - The Alan Turing InstituteGabriela Hofer - Graz University of TechnologyMalika Ihle - Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität MünchenAyumi Ikeda - Japan Society for the Promotion of ScienceAndrew Jones - Liverpool John Moores UniversityVanessa A. Jorge - Fundação Oswaldo CruzYusuph A. Kafula - Institute of Fisheries and AquacultureTamara Kalandadze - Institute for Learning and DevelopmentVeli-Matti Karhulahti - JAMK University of Applied SciencesHalil E. Kocalar - Muğla UniversityMalgorzata Lagisz - University of AlbertaMargherita Lanz - Università Cattolica del Sacro CuoreFelix P. Leiva - Alfred-Wegener-Institut Helmholtz-Zentrum für Polar- und MeeresforschungMarco Tullio Liuzza - University of PaduaMarcel Martoncik - Centre of Social and Psychological Sciences of the Slovak Academy of SciencesHiroshi Matsui - Osaka University of Human SciencesMaria Montefinese - University of PaduaDavid Moreau - Brain Research New ZealandDavid P. Morgan - University of MannheimShinichi Nakagawa - University of AlbertaHelen Niemeyer - Freie Universität BerlinGustav Nilsonne - Karolinska InstitutetCarmen Penido - Faculdades Oswaldo CruzSofia Persson - Leeds Beckett UniversityElena Serena Piccardi - University of East LondonRima-Maria Rahal - Max Planck Institute for Behavioral EconomicsJakub Rajcani - Comenius University BratislavaBen Ridley - Istituto delle Scienze Neurologiche di BolognaMichele Scandola - University of VeronaFelix D. Schonbrodt - Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität MünchenSandy Schumann - Crimean Agrotechnological UniversityMojtaba Soltanlou - University College LondonJames Steele - Keele UniversitySuzanne L. K. Stewart - University of ChesterEli S. J. Thore - Swedish University of Agricultural SciencesLuka Ursic - Croatian Academic and Research NetworkMichelangelo Vianello - University of PaduaVootele Voikar - University of HelsinkiNicholas C. Wu - Murdoch University, Centre for Sustainable Aquatic EcosystemsYuki Yamada - Kyushu UniversityCemre Yilmaz - Graz University of TechnologyNaoto Yoshimura - Ritsumeikan UniversityMircea Zloteanu - King's College LondonMarija F. Zuljevic - Croatian Academic and Research NetworkMarcus R. Munafo - University of BathKait Clark - University of the West of England
- Publication Details
- Royal Society open science, Vol.13(8), 260462
- Publisher
- Royal Society London
- Number of pages
- 29
- Grant note
- Research England grant (Enhancing Research Culture)
- Identifiers
- 991005916118807891
- Copyright
- © 2026 The Authors.
- Murdoch Affiliation
- Centre for Terrestrial Ecosystem Science and Sustainability; School of Environmental and Conservation Sciences; Centre for Sustainable Aquatic Ecosystems
- Language
- English
- Resource Type
- Journal article
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