Description: Open access refers to the practice of providing unrestricted access to peer-reviewed academic research. This modality seeks to eliminate the economic and legal barriers that have traditionally limited access to scientific information, allowing anyone, regardless of their location or resources, to consult, use, and redistribute research. Open access is based on principles of transparency and collaboration, promoting the dissemination of knowledge and fostering innovation. Open access publications are typically available online and can be accessed without subscriptions or payments. This practice benefits not only researchers and academics but also students, professionals, and the general public, facilitating access to valuable information that can be used to develop new ideas and solutions to contemporary problems. Furthermore, open access aligns with open science initiatives, which aim to democratize knowledge and make research more accessible and useful for society as a whole.
History: The open access movement began to take shape in the late 1990s, with the establishment of initiatives such as the ‘Public Library of Science’ (PLOS) in 2000 and the ‘Budapest Open Access Initiative’ in 2002, which promoted the idea that publicly funded research should be freely available to the public. Over the years, various organizations and governments have supported open access, establishing policies that encourage the publication of research in accessible formats.
Uses: Open access is primarily used in the academic and research fields, allowing researchers to share their findings without restrictions. It is also applied in education, where open educational resources (OER) enable educators and students to access quality educational materials at no cost. Additionally, open access has been integrated into government and funding policies that require publicly funded research to be made publicly available.
Examples: Examples of open access include journals like ‘PLOS ONE’, which publishes research across various disciplines, and repositories like ‘arXiv’, where researchers can share preprints of their work. Educational textbooks and materials can also be found on platforms like ‘OpenStax’, which provide free resources for students and educators.
