Open Access India: Call for Responsible Research Evaluation, Open Science, and Ethical Publications
Sridhar Gutam
Open Access India: Call for Responsible Research Evaluation, Open Science, and Ethical Publications
Open Access India urges all scientists, researchers, and institutions across India to join the global movement towards responsible research evaluation, ethical scholarly practices, and the adoption of Open Science and Open Access principles. It is time to move beyond traditional Impact Factor-driven metrics and the prestige of the journal where research is published. Instead, we need to focus on the intrinsic quality and societal relevance of the research itself.
Global Frameworks for Responsible Research Assessment
DORA Declaration (2012), the Leiden Manifesto (2015), and the Helsinki Initiative (2019) are leading international efforts that challenge the overreliance on Impact Factors and journal-based metrics, promoting more holistic, transparent, and context-aware methods of research evaluation.
- DORA Declaration advocates for evaluating research based on its intrinsic value rather than the Impact Factor or prestige of the journal where it is published. It encourages recognition of diverse research outputs, such as data, software, and community-based work.
- Leiden Manifesto provides 10 guiding principles for responsible use of metrics, emphasizing that indicators should be used to support expert judgment, with regular scrutiny and updates to ensure they remain relevant and accurate.
- Helsinki Initiative promotes multilingualism in scholarly communication, ensuring that research published in local languages is recognized and valued. It advocates for inclusive, accessible research that benefits society, beyond just the academic community.
By supporting these frameworks, UNESCO has reiterated the importance of moving away from Impact Factors, emphasizing that research should serve societal needs and prioritize quality over quantity in scientific contributions.
Towards Responsible Publications: Ethics in Scholarly Communication
Open Access India calls on the scientific community to embrace ethics in scholarly publications. Ethical integrity should be the foundation of every stage of research, from data collection to final dissemination. We must ensure transparency, reproducibility, and accessibility of research findings, contributing to a robust and trustworthy scholarly ecosystem.
Preprints and Open Science: Collaboration and Early Sharing
We strongly encourage the use of preprint platforms, such as IndiaRxiv, to share work in progress. Preprints not only provide time-stamped records of your work but also allow for early feedback from the community, fostering collaboration and accelerating the dissemination of knowledge. Preprints can help bridge the gap between researchers, institutions, and society, ensuring faster and wider access to scientific discoveries.
Call to Action: Sign the DORA Declaration, Leiden Manifesto, and Helsinki Initiative
We urge all scientists, researchers, and institutions in India to:
- Sign and implement the principles of the DORA Declaration, Leiden Manifesto, and Helsinki Initiative.
- Embrace Open Science by making research outputs, including data and software, accessible through preprints and open access platforms.
- Recognize that what you publish is more important than where you publish, and that Impact Factors should not be the sole criterion for assessing research quality.
- Prioritize ethics and responsibility in all aspects of research and publication.
By aligning with these global initiatives and adopting ethical, responsible research practices, we can create a research ecosystem that values quality, openness, and societal relevance.
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Kishor Satpathy
Dear Open Access India Team,
I am writing on behalf of the ISI Kolkata Library to express our strong support for your call to action regarding responsible research evaluation, ethical scholarly practices, and the adoption of Open Science and Open Access principles.
We strongly identify with the ideas conveyed in your recent correspondence as a knowledge-advancing organization that supports the research community. The transition from conventional metrics, like Impact Factors, to a more comprehensive assessment of research quality is not only appropriate but also necessary for the advancement of science and society at large. The frameworks that you mentioned—the Helsinki Initiative, the Leiden Manifesto, and the DORA Declaration—offer a strong basis for encouraging ethical research practices.
At ISI Kolkata Library, we are actively promoting open-access initiatives and ethical practices in scholarly communication. We encourage our researchers to embrace preprint platforms to facilitate early sharing and collaboration. We have signed a few R&P agreements to make our research output accessible to the outside world. This not only accelerates knowledge dissemination but also enhances the quality and impact of research.
We are fully committed to signing and implementing the principles set forth by the DORA Declaration, the Leiden Manifesto, and the Helsinki Initiative. We urge all researchers, institutions, and stakeholders to prioritize ethics and responsibility in all facets of research and publication. Together, we can create a vibrant research environment that values quality, openness, and societal relevance.
Thank you for your leadership in this vital movement. We look forward to collaborating with you and the broader community to foster a more ethical and responsible research landscape in India.
Sincerely,
Dr Kishor Satpathy
ISI Kolkata
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