Open Science in transition
A mapping of the research landscape
The COVID-19 pandemic has not only increased the importance of open science, but has also changed its dynamics and thematic focus. But which topics dominate open science research and how have they developed? A comprehensive literature analysis as part of the VOICES (Value of Openness, Inclusion, Communication, and Engagement for Science in a Post-Pandemic World) project provides answers.
A key milestone of the international VOICES project was the bibliometric analysis of around 7,000 scientific publications on open science. The aim was to identify key subject areas and trace their development. The study uses methods of direct citation, co-citation and bibliographic linking to visualise research networks.
The analysis shows that open science research forms eleven thematic clusters. The areas of open data, reproducibility in psychology, technology and industry as well as participatory research are particularly well represented. These topics characterise the scientific debate and make it clear that open science is no longer limited to free access to publications. Questions of data availability, methodological quality and social participation are increasingly coming to the fore.
Networking and development of key topics
The mapping shows that some clusters are closely linked, while others remain isolated. For example, reproducibility, publication bias and neuroscience are closely linked, which emphasises the importance of methodological quality issues in these disciplines. Social justice and diversity, on the other hand, are thematically more broadly diversified and interdisciplinarily linked with various research fields.
Another key finding is the change in open science research over time. Since 2015, the topics of technology and industry, open data and participatory research have seen strong growth. The COVID-19 pandemic has further accelerated this trend: Open access to research results and scientific communication have become more important, which is reflected in the clusters on public health and biodata.
What is surprising is that open access, which was considered the dominant topic in earlier studies, no longer forms an independent cluster. Instead, open access has established itself as a fundamental principle that is integrated into various open science practices – particularly in scholarly communication.
A dynamic field of research with new focal points
The study shows that open science is thematically diverse and is constantly evolving. While established topics such as open data and reproducibility continue to gain in importance, new issues such as social justice, participatory research and technological innovation are moving more into focus.
This structured mapping not only provides an inventory of the current research landscape, but also provides orientation for scientists, political decision-makers and institutions that want to further develop Open Science in a targeted manner.
To the study: Dorsch, I., Hare, M., Mongeon, P., & Peters, I. (2024). Mapping Open Science Scholarly Literature. 28th International Conference on Science, Technology and Innovation Indicators (STI2024), Berlin, Germany. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.14163843
*This text was written on 17 April 2025.
This text was translated on 12 May 2025 using DeeplPro.