Title: Module 1: Assignment answers
Course: Teaching Open Science and Research Data Management for Undergraduates > Section: Module 1: Introduction to Open Science

1. Watch the video and answer the two questions below.

 Open Science: what, how & why? (subtitles)

a. What are the four R’s of Open Science? And what do they mean?

Reliable: Research should produce accurate and trustworthy results, following rigorous methodologies and standards.
Reproducible: Research findings should be replicable by others using the same methods and data, ensuring transparency and validity.
Reusable: Research outputs, such as data, code, and publications, should be accessible and shared in formats that allow others to use them effectively.
Relevant: Research should address meaningful and impactful questions, contributing to knowledge and solving real-world problems.

b. What are the FAIR principles?

Findable: Data and resources should be easy to locate, typically through unique identifiers (e.g., DOIs) and rich machine-readable metadata.

Accessible: Once located, data should be retrievable via standardized and open protocols, and access conditions (e.g., licensing) should be clear.

Interoperable: Data should be formatted and structured to work seamlessly with other datasets and systems, using standardized formats and vocabularies.

Reusable: Data should be well-described and include information about its provenance and licensing, enabling others to use it effectively for new research.

Answer the following questions:

2. How does your institution promote Open Science? Does it have Open Access repositories, services, or policies for supporting Open Science?

*** It is impossible to give a standard answer to this question - find out yourself! ***

3. How can a researcher benefit from responsible Open Science practices?

Example answer:

VISIBILITY
More visibility and impact: Open Science practices allow research to be shared openly and freely. This increases the visibility and impact of the researcher by allowing other researchers, professionals and even the wider public to access and reference his/her work.

EFFICIENCY
Faster dissemination: In line with the principles of open science, research results and data are published more quickly and made more widely available. This promotes the dissemination of knowledge and allows other researchers and organisations to build on the work.

COOPERATION/NETWORKING
Re-use and collaboration: Open Science practices encourage researchers to share their research data and results with others. This enables re-use of data for different purposes and can lead to new opportunities for collaboration with other researchers and organisations.

FUNDING
Opportunities for new funding opportunities: Many funders and organisations require open science principles in order to fund research projects. Open science practices can open up new funding opportunities for researchers and contribute to the sustainability of research.

4. Open Science often takes time and requires diligence and dedication of researchers. Explain how and why?

Example answer:

Open Science takes time and requires dedication because it involves changes at multiple levels of research practice and culture. Researchers must invest effort to share data, adapt to new workflows, and learn open practices, which adds to their existing workloads. Socio-cultural challenges, such as a lack of recognition or rewards for engaging in Open Science, further hinder motivation. Additionally, technical tools and platforms are still evolving, and researchers may need time to familiarize themselves with these systems.

On an organizational and political level, a supportive environment is often lacking, and researchers must navigate institutional or national policies that may not fully embrace openness. Furthermore, economic and legal challenges, such as securing funding for open initiatives and understanding complex copyright or data protection laws, demand careful attention. Thus, achieving Open Science requires commitment, coordination, and systemic support to overcome these barriers.

5. Find out what the term 'citizen science' means, and justify how it is related to Open Science.

Example answer:

The term citizen science is used to describe scientific research conducted partly or entirely by ordinary people. Citizen science has been used in particular in natural and technical sciences. Practical examples of citizen science include birdwatching and participation in archaeological excavations.

The role of the citizen scientist in research:

- Citizen scientists are involved in at least one phase of research.
- Citizen scientists are not the subjects of the research, but its contributors.
- The research should normally be led by a trained researcher.

Citizen science makes research accessible to all - increases the openness of research; allows anyone to participate.

According to the UNESCO Open Science Recommendation, open engagement of societal actors means extending the collaboration of researchers beyond the scientific community. This is achieved by opening up research practices and tools, and by making the scientific process more inclusive and accessible to the wider society.